Wild elephant causes damage to restaurant near Khao Yai National Park
Plai Biang Lek damaged a metal door and sales area at Penlaos, as its owner called for cautious coexistence between people and wildlife.
- A wild elephant from Khao Yai National Park, known as Plai Biang Lek, caused damage to the Penlaos restaurant.
- The elephant broke a metal door and damaged both the restaurant and retail areas during what was its third visit to the location.
- The owner stated that such incidents become more frequent as the dry season approaches, causing elephants to leave the forest and enter nearby communities.
- Despite the damage, the owner called for cautious coexistence and urged the public to alert officials rather than harm wildlife.
Panchana Vatanasathien, owner of Penlaos restaurant on Thanarat Road in Mu Si subdistrict, Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima, posted CCTV footage recorded at 9.58pm on Sunday (July 19, 2026).
The footage showed Plai Biang Lek, another well-known wild elephant from Khao Yai National Park, visiting the restaurant for the third time.
This time, however, the damage was greater than before, affecting both the restaurant area and the retail area.
Plai Biang Lek also broke a metal door.
The owner said she was not upset by the incident.
The premises were cleaned, and a technician repaired the door before the restaurant reopened as usual.
She acknowledged that, as the dry season approaches, wild elephants from Khao Yai leave the forest and enter communities in Mu Si subdistrict more frequently.
Volunteers who help drive wild elephants away from communities, the Khao Yai Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Group and Khao Yai National Park officials, therefore have to work harder, both day and night.
As president of the Khao Yai Tourism Association, she said people and wild elephants must coexist with due caution.
Anyone who sees an elephant or another wild animal entering a community should immediately alert officials or community leaders so the situation can be addressed or the animal properly driven back into Khao Yai National Park, she said.
Most importantly, people must not harm wildlife.
Everyone must help conserve Khao Yai’s wildlife and environment so both can continue to exist together.
