Chaos in Thailand as huge elephant rampages through supermarket

A in northeast found itself wedged inside a supermarket while on the hunt for food. The 25-year-old bull, named Plai Biang Lek, had wandered from his natural forest habitat in Nakhon Ratchasima and barged into the grocery shop earlier this afternoon (June 3).

But while his appetite led him into the store, his massive frame became his undoing, his arched back got jammed beneath the store's low roof. Footage captured inside the shop shows the bemused elephant awkwardly surveying the aisles, seemingly trying to figure out how to reverse his entrance.

Thankfully, the incident ended without injury. The store's startled shopkeeper quickly ushered the animal back outside before local wildlife rangers arrived and safely escorted Plai Biang Lek back into the forest.

"This was the first time an elephant had visited the store," the shaken shopkeeper said.

"I hope he doesn't come back. I was worried about the damage he could cause."

Thailand's wild elephants, of which there are around 3,500, have increasingly been venturing into human settlements in search of more appetising food than what they find in the wild.

Conservationists say many have developed a preference for human snacks, rummaging through homes, markets, and even vehicles for treats.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, an adult elephant can consume up to 150 kilograms of food a day, roughly the same as 375 tins of baked beans, making these curious supermarket visits both understandable and, in urban areas, increasingly common.

Authorities said they are monitoring the area closely to prevent further visits from Plai Biang Lek, whose supermarket misadventure has already made headlines across the region.