Wild Elephant Raids Restaurant, Damages Property in Nakhon Ratchasima
A wild elephant nicknamed "Pa Duan" raided a restaurant in Nakhon Ratchasima early July 16, part of a series of nighttime incidents in the area caused by food shortages in nearby forests.
A startling incident occurred in the early morning of July 16 when a well-known wild elephant nicknamed "Pa Duan" broke into a roadside restaurant along Thanarat Road in Moo Si subdistrict, Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima. The large male elephant, standing approximately 3.2 meters tall and weighing over 5 tons, was searching for food and later crossed the road into a nearby forest. Volunteers from the Khao Yai elephant management team had to retreat as the elephant refused to cooperate during the relocation effort.
Another incident that same night involved a different elephant that damaged a vehicle at a resort on Thanarat Road, smashing the rear bumper, back window, and fender of a black Toyota sedan. A third elephant incident was reported early the next morning when a wild elephant entered a shop opposite Khao Wong Temple and was successfully pushed back into a dragon fruit garden without causing significant damage, though some food items were scattered.
Phra Achan Kampan, abbot of Moo Si Temple and chairman of the Khao Yai Wildlife and Environment Conservation Group, explained that the escalating incidents stem from natural climatic variations that have disrupted seasonal crop yields in the forest. This shortage is driving elephants to venture into nearby agricultural areas and communities in search of food, creating an increasingly serious and widespread problem.
