Thieving elephant takes bale of hay from back of truck

Sept. 13 (UPI) -- An elephant walked into a Thailand road to stop a truck traveling through a national park before stealing a bale of hay from the back of the vehicle.

Witnesses said the truck was traveling through Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima province when an elephant wandered out of the trees and walked into the road to stop the vehicle.

One witness, Savet Rassame, 47, recorded video of the elephant walking around to the side of the truck and stealing a bale of hay from the vehicle's trailer.

''The elephant looked like he was having fun eating a new bale of hay," Rassame said. ''It was a big, big elephant so I think he was hungry. I did not want to go to close to it.''

Park Chief Kanchit Srinappawan said that while the park is known for its many free-roaming elephants, it's rare for the animals to approach vehicles on the road.

''I don't know how the elephant knew the truck would be there carrying hay. He may have sensed it or saw them approaching in the distance," Srinappawan said. ''The elephant came out from the trees and made the driver stop then grabbed the hay.''