Trunk road terror: Jumbo rage as elephant ejects man from pickup (video)
In a wild encounter that’s captured the attention of Thai social media, an angry elephant gave a new meaning to being “trunked” when it tossed a passenger from the back of a pickup truck on Hua Hin’s Pala-U Road. The dramatic moment, caught on camera by a shocked passerby, has rapidly gone viral.
The footage reveals the massive pachyderm as it sauntered towards the pickup truck, then used its trunk with surprising finesse to unceremoniously eject the hapless passenger from the vehicle.
Luckily, despite the unexpected flying lesson, the passenger, Chaiwat Harnwichian, emerged from his ordeal with nothing more than a bruised ego, as no serious injuries were reported.
The 46 year old went to the Pa Deng Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital for a physical examination. It was found that he had a sore ribs. Hospital officials conducted an initial physical examination and ordered him to observe his symptoms for 24 hours, the Daily news reported.
Wild elephants are a familiar sight along this particular stretch of road, especially near the Pala-U checkpoint. However, they typically mind their own business and aren’t known to cause havoc for passersby.
In this instance, it’s speculated that the elephant was simply on the hunt for a snack when curiosity got the better of it.
The incident has sparked a wave of warnings for both locals and tourists, urging them to stay vigilant while driving through the area, as encounters with these majestic creatures can be unpredictable.
Meanwhile, calls are growing for local officials to keep a closer watch and to devise strategies to ensure public safety on this popular route.
The video has captured the imagination of social media, serving as a quirky, yet important reminder of the caution needed in regions where wild elephants are part of the landscape.
While this local Thai man emerged relatively unscathed from his encounter with an elephant, others have not been as fortunate. Elephant attacks in Thailand are unfortunately common.
Just last week, a wild elephant attacked officials from Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary while they were attempting to move the elephants out of agricultural areas in Phetchabun province, resulting in one death and one injury. The incident occurred on March 3, approximately 4 kilometres from Ban Huay Khoi in Lom Kao district.
Three days later another fatal meeting with an elephant took place when a villager collecting forest products in Mueang Phaya, Kamphut, Chanthaburi Province, was tragically killed by a wild elephant on March 1.
Rescue volunteers from the Sawang Katanyu Association in Pong Nam Ron were alerted to the incident, which took place within a military area in the subdistrict of Pong Nam Ron, in the district of Pong Nam Ron.
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