In a shocking incident that happened in rural Chachoengsao province, Thailand, a wild elephant rammed a pick-up truck and flipped it over when the driver refused to wait in traffic while it passed. The incident was caught on camera and has since gone viral on social media, with many expressing their shock and horror at the video.
Watch the video at the end
Footage of the incident showed the elephant pushing its head and trunk against the vehicle while the driver was still inside. The truck toppled over into the bushes, and the mammal continued to sniff the truck. Witnesses, who were traveling along the same road, immediately called the emergency services and reversed in fear.
According to driver Panida Anuan, “The person inside the truck was safe but he had some bruises because of the fall. It was so scary. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. We immediately left in case we were next.” Panida added that she called wildlife staff, who began tracking the elephant amid fears of a repeat attack.
Shocking footage showed the animal pushing its head and trunk against the truck while the driver was still inside
Shocked motorists, who said the incident was so scary they thought they were going to ‘have a heart attack’, reversed while calling the emergency services
The shaken driver was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for minor bruises sustained when the vehicle was pushed over.
Officials believe the elephant attacked the pickup truck in a defensive move because the vehicle tried to continue along the narrow road past the elephant, instead of cutting the engine and waiting for the animal to walk through the road, which is part of its territory.
Thailand has an estimated 2,000 Asian elephants living in the wild, and around 3,000 in captivity owned privately. In the wild, they are seen wandering freely among protected forests, occasionally appearing on the roads that run through them.
Male Asian elephants, unlike African elephants, roam alone once they are over ten years old while females remain with the herd. They are most active during mating season from November to January when they emerge from the jungles in search of a mate.
There is conflict when they come into contact with humans on rural roads and in villages, so wildlife rangers are tasked with monitoring their movements. This incident is a reminder that we should always respect and give way to the wildlife in their own territory to avoid such conflicts and potential harm to both animals and humans.
Watch the video below
