Wildlife officers drove away herds of elephants eating farmers' crops in Thailand.

Drone footage shows the group of more than 20 jumbos walking back to their habitat at the Thap Lan National Park in Prachin Buri province on January 26.

The herd was reported to have entered nearby community areas in Nakhon Ratchasima province to feast on villagers' sugarcane and cassava crop.

Park staff said they have been pushing the elephants back into the national park since September 2023 as the animals have caused severe agricultural damage over hundreds of rais of land.

Authorities said more than 100 elephants have been relocated to the national park as of January 26.

Prawatsart Chanthep, chief of the Thap Lan National Park, said officers faced difficulties due to steep terrain and narrow entry points into the forest.

He said: 'The elephants left the national park because they were attracted by the farmers' cassava and sugarcane crops which are their favourite. They caused significant damage to the farmers' livelihoods.'

Park staff said they approached the elephants after the jumbos had already eaten as this was when they were least stressed. The officers would then surround the elephants and use tools or loud noises to drive them away.

Prawatsart said: 'It's harder for us if the elephants panic because they might separate from the herd. They become difficult to control, and might lash out at our staff.

'We are still surveying the area to see if any elephants are still there.'

As of 2023, there are an estimated 3,084-3,500 wild elephants in Thailand. The population has been increasing in recent years, but it is still a fraction of the estimated 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.