Overview

• Plai Biang Lek, a wild elephant from Khao Yai National Park, wandered into a Pak Chong convenience store at about 3 a.m. on June 2.
• The animal devoured rice crackers and eggs before calmly exiting the premises.
• Residents report frequent nighttime sightings of the elephant near villages but say this is its inaugural in-store incursion.
• Social media footage of the heist has been widely shared, drawing attention to the late-night encounter.
• Conservationists warn that habituation to human food sources is driving rising tensions between wildlife and people in the region.