A motorist driving near Hua Hin got a fright when a wild elephant rammed into her pick up truck, almost forcing it off the road.
Twenty seven year old Ms Darunee Yuensuk, was driving her Toyota Vigo pick truck through the Huai Sat Yai Subdistrict of Hua Hin on Thursday (July 15) when the incident happened.
Ms Darunee explained she had been transporting 8 workers from the Dole fruit processing factory late at night and in the pouring rain.
She said she spotted two elephants on the side of the road but wasn’t concerned as she uses that particular stretch of road regularly and often sees wild elephants.
She said as she approached the elephants she slowed down but to her amazement one of the elephants charged at the vehicle and rammed into the front passenger side door.
The door was damaged and the wing mirror smashed, Ms Darunee explained.
Neither Ms Darunee or the 8 passengers were injured.
Ms Darunee called on the relevant agencies to do whatever they can to ensure incidents like this do not happen again
Mr Peechai Watcharawongpaiboon, a director at the local conservation office, said he had received a report about the incident and ordered park officers to inspect the scene and try and locate the elephant to see if it is injured.
Mr Peechai also said he will instruct officers to step up patrols and try and provide more food in the areas where the elephants are known to eat, in a bid to stop them from entering busy roads in search of food.
Meanwhile, it was also reported that the elephant which rammed Ms Darunee’s pick up truck is not Plai Boonchuay, the now world famous elephant who has recently been visiting properties in the area in search of food.
Last month, incredible footage of Plai Boonchuay breaking into a house to steal food went viral and was featured by scores of news outlets around the world.
Earlier this month, the elephant was spotted again at another property in Huai Sat Yai.
