A hungry elephant that recently smashed through a kitchen wall to steal rice has struck again, squeezing into a family’s porch to munch on cat food.
The 40-year-old bull, Plai Bunchuay, wandered into a home in Hua Hin, southern Thailand, on Tuesday night after sniffing out food.
Earlier this week, Plai Bunchuay made headlines when he broke through another family’s kitchen wall to grab a bag of rice in the same coastal town.
After being shooed back into the jungle, the elephant reappeared on Tuesday night, settling for a late-night cat food snack.
The elephant was captured on video stomping through the front yard before squeezing his massive frame into the porch, where he found the cat food left out for pets.
Homeowner Natthakan Charoendong was startled by the noise and rushed downstairs, only to find the elephant’s backside sticking out of the porch entrance as it peered through the open door.
The elephant’s tail swayed contentedly as it enjoyed the cat food, slowly inching further into the porch while continuing to eat. With its head nearly touching the roof, the elephant eventually stood by the doorway, savoring his snack.
“We recognized this elephant from the news,” Natthakan said. “We were both excited and shocked. He ate some of the cat food left on the porch. He’s a smart but intimidating animal.”
After finishing his meal, the elephant calmly left the property without causing any damage and headed back towards the forest.
Plai Bunchuay first made waves on Sunday at 2 a.m. when he crashed through a kitchen wall in another home.
Rachadawan Phungprasopporn and her husband woke up to the noise and rushed to the kitchen, where they saw the elephant rummaging through their cupboards. Using his trunk, he grabbed a plastic bag of rice and ate it on the spot.
Rachadawan’s husband managed to scare the elephant away, and it retreated into nearby woods. “This elephant is well known in the area for causing trouble. He visited our house about two months ago but didn’t damage anything then,” she said.
Rachadawan noted that local wildlife officials advised residents not to leave food in the kitchen due to the risk of attracting elephants.
Despite taking precautions, the couple now faces a repair bill of around 50,000 Baht (£1,140) for the damaged wall. “It was amusing to see the elephant like that, but we’re concerned he might return,” she added.
Thailand is home to an estimated 2,000 wild Asian elephants, and conflicts with humans are not uncommon as these animals venture into villages and onto roads.
Conservation officers from the country’s National Park believe that the behavior of elephants like Plai Bunchuay has shifted due to the allure of human food.
Supanya Chengsutha, a conservation officer, explained, “The elephant likely smelled the food and wanted to eat it. It’s not necessarily a matter of hunger, as jungle food remains abundant. But interactions with humans have altered some elephants’ eating habits, making them more interested in what people eat.”
Chengsutha also suggested that disruptions such as hunters and traps in the jungle could drive elephants closer to human settlements, leading to more encounters like this one.
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