Thread: Elephant With a Sweet Tooth Causes Traffic Jam in Central Thailand Hunting for Sugar

CHACHOENGSAO – An elephant caused a huge traffic jam after it stopped passing lorries to munch on sugar cane in Central Thailand yesterday.


Vehicles came to a standstill after the giant animal wandered onto the busy motorway in the south central province of Chachoengsao, just east of Bangkok Thailand.


The male elephant poked its trunk in passing lorries as it searched for the freshly collected crop.


He was there for two hours and stopped 12 different vehicles before making his way back to the jungle at around 5pm on Sunday evening.


Onlooker Arnie Banpho said: ‘He was a big elephant so nobody was brave enough to get near him and push him back into the trees.
‘Cars were driving very slowly passed him and there were big queues while they waited for him.’


Kovit Boonphanuk, Head of Wild Elephant Care at the Khao Ang Rue Nai mountains, said: ‘The elephants in this area are friendly and never harm anyone. He only wanted some food.


‘Truck drivers who use the road regularly are familiar with elephants and take extra care but this was an unusual occasion when the animal stopped many vehicles and would not leave.


‘We would like to remind anyone who encounters elephants while in their vehicles to stay well back, do not use the car horn and do not shout at them.


‘Let the elephants continue what they are doing, or they may become angry. Elephants often travel in herds and there may be others nearby.’

Elephant With a Sweet Tooth Causes Traffic Jam in Central Thailand Hunting for Sugar Cane | Chiang Rai Times English Language Newspaper

That's roughly sort of out our way ... though I've never seen one in the flesh.