This is the terrifying moment an hungry wild elephant stopped passing cars one-by-one to search for food.

The jumbo emerged from nearby woodland and stomped along the rural road in Nakhon Ratchasima, northern Thailand, on November 30.

The beast was earlier seen charging at a family's car as they went camping. It emerged later the same day to terrorise drivers passing through 'its patch'.

Mobile phone footage shows the elephant holding up traffic and checking the pick-up trucks one-by-one, using its long trunk to rummage through their cargo.

Saloons without anything on show were allowed to pass without any inspections.

Onlooker Nopparat said: ''This is the elephant's territory so nobody can complain, we just have to be extra careful not to startle them.

''At this time of year when a bull is looking for a mate, they can be aggressive. However, I think this time he was just hungry.

''It's funny to watch how he checked every vehicle. It was like a traffic officer collecting toll fees on a road.''

Earlier in the morning, terrifying mobile phone footage from passenger Saengdao, 30, shows the beast turning on its heels and running straight at them.

Saengdao's husband, Avin, who was driving at the time with their young children in the back quickly reversed away from the elephant.

The male jumbo appeared to wave its trunk victoriously at the car while asserting its dominance and saying 'get away', before disappearing into nearby trees.

Saengdao said: ''We were having a family trip to go camping for one night. Then when we turned around a bend in the road there was a large elephant.

''At first, it seemed like he was turning away and was going back into the forest. Then suddenly it looked at us and ran towards our car. We had to reverse away quickly as it was so scary.''

An estimated 2,000 elephants are living in the wild in Thailand and a similar number in captivity. Male Asian elephants are rarely part of the herds and they roam alone through the deep jungle.

There is a conflict when they come in contact with humans who also use the area of farming and gathering food.

Elephants are a protected animal in Thailand and killing them carries a maximum prison term of up to three years and a fine of 1,000 baht (25GBP).