Wild Elephant Enters Thai Grocery Store, Steals Snacks in Khao Yai

A viral video from Thailand’s Khao Yai region shows a wild elephant named Plai Biang Lek casually entering a local grocery store and helping himself to snacks, including nine bags of sweet rice crackers, a sandwich, and bananas. The gentle giant, a resident of nearby Khao Yai National Park, calmly navigated the aisles, charming viewers worldwide with his peaceful demeanour despite his size. This marks one of Plai Biang Lek’s notable food raids, as he is also known locally for sneaking into homes in search of food. The incident, captured on camera, sparked both amusement and reflection on the impact of urbanization on wildlife habitats, as some commenters noted the elephant's boldness in relation to the encroachment of human settlements. Shopkeepers eventually managed to usher the elephant out after his snack spree, which reportedly totaled about 800 baht (around $25). The viral nature of the video has brought global attention to the unusual but harmonious interactions between wildlife and people in the region.