Shoppers Stunned as 4-Ton Elephant Gets Stuck in Supermarket—You Won’t Believe What Happens Next!
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It’s not every day you pop down to your local supermarket for a loaf of bread and a carton of milk, only to find yourself sharing the aisles with a four-ton elephant! But that’s exactly what happened in the bustling city of Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, when a rather adventurous pachyderm named Plai Biang Lek decided to do a bit of impromptu shopping.
The 25-year-old elephant, who clearly has a taste for the finer things in life, wandered into the store on a sunny Monday afternoon. Security footage captured the moment Plai Biang Lek strolled through the automatic doors, his trunk leading the way straight to the snack section. His menu of choice? Sweet, crispy rice cakes and chicken eggs—proving that even elephants can have a sweet tooth!
For about ten minutes, the enormous visitor meandered through the aisles, sampling the local fare and causing a bit of a stir among shoppers and staff alike. The situation reached a comedic climax when Plai Biang Lek managed to wedge himself in the ceiling—an image that’s sure to stick in the minds of everyone present (and probably in the store’s insurance records, too).
Despite the potential for chaos, the damage was surprisingly minimal. Shopkeeper Khamploy Gakaew, who deserves a medal for keeping his cool, managed to gently coax the elephant out of the store.
When the dust settled and the receipts were tallied, the total bill for Plai Biang Lek’s little adventure came to just 1,000 baht—about AUD $47. Not bad, considering the size of the customer!
Khamploy recounted the experience with a mix of relief and disbelief: ‘This was the first time an elephant had visited the store. I hope he doesn’t come back. I was worried about the damage he could cause. He ate sweet, crispy rice cakes and chicken eggs before walking out. I was surprised to see him eating sweet food, as elephants usually search for something salty.’
While elephants are known to occasionally pester street food vendors in Thailand, a full-blown supermarket visit is certainly out of the ordinary. Wildlife rangers were quick to respond, escorting Plai Biang Lek safely back to the nearby woodland and promising to keep a close eye on him to prevent any future shopping sprees.
Why are elephants wandering into towns and supermarkets in the first place? Thai conservationists say that wild elephants are increasingly developing a taste for human food. With their natural habitats shrinking and their curiosity piqued by the smells of high-calorie snacks, these gentle giants are venturing further into human territory.
And with an appetite that requires up to 150kg of food per day (that’s about 375 tins of baked beans!), it’s no wonder they’re on the lookout for easy meals.
But while Plai Biang Lek’s supermarket escapade ended with little more than a funny story and a small bill, not all human-elephant encounters are so harmless. In a tragic incident earlier this year, a young Spanish woman lost her life while bathing an elephant at a sanctuary on the Thai island of Yao Yai.
The sanctuary, now closed, and local authorities confirmed the heartbreaking event, reminding us that while elephants are often gentle, they are still wild animals deserving of respect and caution.
As for Plai Biang Lek, he’s back in the forest, hopefully content with his haul of rice cakes and eggs—and perhaps plotting his next culinary adventure.
You can watch the video below:
Credit: @metrouk / TikTok
Have you ever had a wild animal wander into your local shop or backyard? Or maybe you’ve had a close encounter with Australia’s own cheeky wildlife? We’d love to hear your stories! Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below—let’s see if anyone can top an elephant in the supermarket!
The 25-year-old elephant, who clearly has a taste for the finer things in life, wandered into the store on a sunny Monday afternoon. Security footage captured the moment Plai Biang Lek strolled through the automatic doors, his trunk leading the way straight to the snack section. His menu of choice? Sweet, crispy rice cakes and chicken eggs—proving that even elephants can have a sweet tooth!
For about ten minutes, the enormous visitor meandered through the aisles, sampling the local fare and causing a bit of a stir among shoppers and staff alike. The situation reached a comedic climax when Plai Biang Lek managed to wedge himself in the ceiling—an image that’s sure to stick in the minds of everyone present (and probably in the store’s insurance records, too).
A four-ton elephant wandered into a supermarket in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Credit: @metrouk / TikTok
Despite the potential for chaos, the damage was surprisingly minimal. Shopkeeper Khamploy Gakaew, who deserves a medal for keeping his cool, managed to gently coax the elephant out of the store.
When the dust settled and the receipts were tallied, the total bill for Plai Biang Lek’s little adventure came to just 1,000 baht—about AUD $47. Not bad, considering the size of the customer!
Khamploy recounted the experience with a mix of relief and disbelief: ‘This was the first time an elephant had visited the store. I hope he doesn’t come back. I was worried about the damage he could cause. He ate sweet, crispy rice cakes and chicken eggs before walking out. I was surprised to see him eating sweet food, as elephants usually search for something salty.’
While elephants are known to occasionally pester street food vendors in Thailand, a full-blown supermarket visit is certainly out of the ordinary. Wildlife rangers were quick to respond, escorting Plai Biang Lek safely back to the nearby woodland and promising to keep a close eye on him to prevent any future shopping sprees.
Why are elephants wandering into towns and supermarkets in the first place? Thai conservationists say that wild elephants are increasingly developing a taste for human food. With their natural habitats shrinking and their curiosity piqued by the smells of high-calorie snacks, these gentle giants are venturing further into human territory.
And with an appetite that requires up to 150kg of food per day (that’s about 375 tins of baked beans!), it’s no wonder they’re on the lookout for easy meals.
But while Plai Biang Lek’s supermarket escapade ended with little more than a funny story and a small bill, not all human-elephant encounters are so harmless. In a tragic incident earlier this year, a young Spanish woman lost her life while bathing an elephant at a sanctuary on the Thai island of Yao Yai.
The sanctuary, now closed, and local authorities confirmed the heartbreaking event, reminding us that while elephants are often gentle, they are still wild animals deserving of respect and caution.
As for Plai Biang Lek, he’s back in the forest, hopefully content with his haul of rice cakes and eggs—and perhaps plotting his next culinary adventure.
You can watch the video below:
Credit: @metrouk / TikTok
Have you ever had a wild animal wander into your local shop or backyard? Or maybe you’ve had a close encounter with Australia’s own cheeky wildlife? We’d love to hear your stories! Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below—let’s see if anyone can top an elephant in the supermarket!
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