January 2, 2025
BANGKOK – A wild elephant on Wednesday turned into an extortionist on Highway No. 3076 in Chachoengsao province, targeting passing trucks carrying freshly cut sugarcane and tapioca.
As the giant animal was blocking half of the road, drivers had no choice but to come to a halt and let it pick off its favourite foods from the truck bed on the highway that runs through Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary.
Sanctuary officials have instructed motorists to drive at speeds under 60 km per hour when using the highway in Tha Takiap district of the eastern province. When spotting a wild elephant, motorists should stop the vehicles and let it pass. They should not rev up the engine, flash their headlights or horn, which could agitate wild elephants.
Stopping the car to feed wild animals in the sanctuary area is also prohibited, said an official.
Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area at the western extremities of the Cardamom Mountains in Chachoengsao province. The sanctuary area spans 643,750 square metres across five provinces of Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Prachinburi.