A cyclist ran for his life as a wild elephant chased him along a road during a visit to Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima province.
Nattawat Popwandeeruechakul, 20, was lucky that his father was following behind in his pickup.
The encounter occurred on Sunday on the Khao Yai-Prachin Buri Road through the national park. It was recorded by the father's dashboard camera.
"Senior cyclists of the A2Bike team invited me to join them on a trip through Khao Yai. I had never been in Khao Yai, so I joined in. There were seven cyclists with two vehicles following us," said Mr Nattawat, a native of Chaiyaphum province.
The group left Chaiyaphum about 6am on Sunday and were cycling along the road through Khao Yai National Park about 4pm when the encounter occurred.
Mr Nattawat said he was tired and trailing well behind the other six cyclists.
"I was concentrating on the tarmac when I heard heavy footsteps and felt the ground shake. I looked up, and was shocked by the sight of a wild elephant running toward me," Mr Nattawat said.
He froze for a second, then dismounted, grabbed his bike, fled back along the road to his father's pickup and jumped on the back. The elephant approached the vehicle, stopped briefly, and then walked back into the jungle, he said.
His family later learned the elephant is known as Yoyo and becomes annoyed whenever he encounters tourists' vehicles, but has never hurt anyone.
