Meeting a Wild Elephant in Kaeng Krachan National Park

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Meeting a Wild Elephant in Kaeng Krachan National Park

PHETCHABURI:-- It’s not unusual to meet a wild elephant on the roads in more remote parts of Thailand.

Especially in National Parks such as Kaeng Krachan there are encounters between vehicles and elephants which have the potential to go wrong.

Here’s a lesson learned during one such encounter reported in the Bangkok Post. A car full of women and children found out the hard way that the first rule when meeting a wild elephant on the road is “don’t turn off the engine”. The car, driven by a woman who was accompanied by an elderly woman in the front seat and her children in the back, encountered a large wild elephant that was walking along the road. While other vehicles took the chance of passing by the animal, the driver hesitated, and after a short, anxious discussion with her elderly companion, decided to shut off her engine to avoid upsetting the elephant.

Unfortunately, this led the vehicle behind her to sound the horn which definitely did upset the animal. The huge elephant began walking around the car and hitting it periodically, much to the distress of the frightened occupants. With the engine off, there was nothing they could do to escape. Finally, the elephant began walking away and the driver started the engine, put the car in reverse and got the car a safe distance away. After her ordeal, the driver posted some tips on dealing with a wild elephant.

Here are a few of them:

1. Try to stay at least 30 metres away and if the elephants move toward you, drive your car away from it. Then wait until it leaves.

2. Don’t use your horn or make any loud noise.

3. Do not take any photos using a flash.

4. Keep your engine running at all times.

-- Hua Hin Today 2014-10-07

[Goshawk]

. . there are encounters between vehicles and elephants which have the potential to go wrong.

Very true . . . driving through Khao Yai NP at night one time (returning to campsite) i almost drove at a fair speed into a family herd that were crossing the road on a blind approach bend. Both of us were startled . . i screeched on the brakes, and the lead elephant now directly facing me in my headlights, gave out a very loud trunk raising 'trumpet' call. A few seconds later, they turned and disappeared back into the forest . . . leaving me shaking behind the wheel. I'll never forget it, & i suspect (as the saying goes) neither will they.

[empireboy]

Sage advice!

[Chris Lawrence]

. . there are encounters between vehicles and elephants which have the potential to go wrong.

Very true . . . driving through Khao Yai NP at night one time (returning to campsite) i almost drove at a fair speed into a family herd that were crossing the road on a blind approach bend. Both of us were startled . . i screeched on the brakes, and the lead elephant now directly facing me in my headlights, gave out a very loud trunk raising 'trumpet' call. A few seconds later, they turned and disappeared back into the forest . . . leaving me shaking behind the wheel. I'll never forget it, & i suspect (as the saying goes) neither will they.

Wow, that would have been incredible, Gos; apart from the shaking.

Beautiful creatures, got me watching the videos.

[sunshine51]

Didn't Anguid (Mod) also have an encounter in the same area last year?

If me memory serves me well he also had some nice video.

Encounters with wild buffies are quite an experience.

[mongoose11]

Who's the BOSS

[matman]

About 18 months ago my girlfriend (Thai) and I visited Pala U Waterfall about 75 Kilometres from Hua Hin. We had ridden there on a hired Honda Click Motorcycle. Not long after leaving the waterfall on our return journey an elephant emerged from the jungle onto the road about 200 metres ahead of us. I pulled over to the opposite side of the road to pass it and as we went by I fully expected to see a mahout or somebody with it, but there was no-one and realised it was a wild elephant. I hadn’t gone more than a kilometre further, when I came round a left hand bend to see a massive bull elephant lolloping along towards me on my side of the road. Given our ‘closing speed’ I had enough time to pull over but we still passed by within two metres of this mighty beast. I reflected to myself how close an encounter this was, and that a flick of the animals trunk as we passed could have sent the two of us and the motorbike flying with little effort.

I said to my girlfriend how amazing it was to have seen the two wild elephants but how lucky we had been to have passed so close and got away with it. She said yes, and said that there were many signs along the road warning about wild elephants in the area – of course the signs were in Thai, and she hadn’t thought to warn me or pass the information on!!.

But an amazing encounter with these majestic animals

[chaiyapoon]

Passed by many in Khao yai mostly evening and early morning but can see them at any time if you happen to be there when they are crossing the road or in some of the clearings.Other times you can cross the park and the only sign of them is kee all over the road.

[revgreen]

I've driven through Nam Nao, Phu Hin Rong Kla, Tat Mok, and Thung Salaeng Luang wihtout ever seeing an elephant. I think it'd be pretty cool assuming you stay safe.

[RottingCorpse]

Thanks for this. I was at a pal's place in Chach recently and blimey if several elephants didn't just stroll by....I'm still shaking with the thrill of it now....I wish I was a part of the 21st century...

[speleo]

I've driven through Nam Nao, Phu Hin Rong Kla, Tat Mok, and Thung Salaeng Luang wihtout ever seeing an elephant. I think it'd be pretty cool assuming you stay safe.

Seen elephants crossing the H12 near the Nam No NP headquarters a couple of times over the years. Last time was February this year.

There are a lot of elephants in Nam Nao - you can usually find evidence of them every time you go for a walk up there.

[revgreen]

Yeah I've been hiking there and saw plenty of poop, just no elephants!

[thailandbethere]

Another one video from Kaeng Krachan National Park, with an elephant in the jungle close to the main road