Khao Yai elephant damages restaurant

A wild elephant from Khao Yai National Park damaged the Penlaos restaurant and its retail area in Mu Si, Nakhon Ratchasima, during a visit on Sunday night, July 19.

CCTV footage posted by owner Panchana Vatanasathien showed Plai Biang Lek at the premises on Thanarat Road at 9.58pm. It was the elephant's third visit to the restaurant.

Third visit causes greater damage

Panchana said this time the damage was more serious than during the animal's previous visits. Plai Biang Lek damaged both the restaurant and retail areas and broke a metal door.

Despite the damage, she said she was not upset by the incident. Staff cleaned the premises, a technician repaired the door, and the restaurant reopened as normal.

Picture courtesy of Komchadluek

The restaurant is in Mu Si subdistrict of Pak Chong district, close to Khao Yai National Park, where elephants are known to leave forest areas and enter nearby communities.

Panchana said such encounters become more frequent as the dry season approaches, when wild elephants from Khao Yai enter communities in Mu Si more often. Volunteers from the Khao Yai Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Group and national park officials then face increased work driving elephants back, both day and night.

Report elephants, do not harm them

As president of the Khao Yai Tourism Association, Panchana said people and wild elephants must coexist with care.

She urged anyone who sees an elephant or other wild animal entering a community to immediately notify officials or community leaders. This allows the situation to be handled and the animal properly driven back into Khao Yai National Park, she said.

Her central message was that wildlife must not be harmed. She called on the public to help conserve Khao Yai's animals and environment so people and wildlife can continue living alongside one another.

For foreign residents, visitors and tourists travelling around Khao Yai and Mu Si, the practical advice is to avoid trying to confront or drive away an elephant themselves. Anyone spotting an elephant in a built-up area should alert local officials or community leaders, rather than approach the animal or attempt to intervene.

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22 July 2026