This is the terrifying moment a herf of angry elephants chased away tourists watching them in the countryside in Thailand.

The jumbos, along with several calves, had walked out of a forest and blocked the tourists' path along a road in Nakhon Ratchasima province on September 17.

Locals waiting for the herd to pass had gathered to watch the wandering pachyderms. However, they were sent scattering in panic when the agitated elephants suddenly thundered towards them.

Park rangers later arrived to bring the animals, including several juvenile elephants, under control.

The elephants were seen touching an officer's pick-up truck with their trunks, then retreating into the woodland when they were pushed back by the vehicle.

National park staff remained in the area to monitor the elephants' movements as traffic along the road resumed.

Asian Elephants have roamed across the region for millions of years. However, their numbers dwindled rapidly following the retreat of the Khmer Empire and the emergence of modern-day Thailand.

As of 2023, there are an estimated 3,000 -3,500 wild elephants in Thailand down from 300,000 wild elephants that lived in Thailand at the beginning of the 20th century.

The main threats to wild elephants in Thailand are habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and conflict with humans.