This is the terrifying moment an angry wild elephant chased a motorbike rider and his pillion passenger in Thailand.

The male jumbo charged at the duo while the two-wheeler was travelling across a rural road in the national park area of Chachoengsao province on October 3.

It appeared to have been irritated by the loud revving noise coming from the motorcycle and blocked their path before charging at the two men.

Fortunately, the national park officers were able to calm the startled jumbo just when it rushed at the rider and his pillion attempting to make an attack.

Officer Pattarapon Maneeaon said: ‘The elephant was scared because the motorcycle had a very loud engine. When visiting national parks, tourists should stay quiet as it may disturb the elephants and irritate them.’

The officers fired a gun up in the sky to distract the elephant and asked the rider to move away from the spot. No one was reported hurt in the incident and the animal returned to the forest.

Thailand has an estimated 2,000 Asian elephants living in the wild but there is often conflict when they come into contact with humans on roads and in villages. A similar number of elephants are kept captive where they work in zoos and are hired out for religious festivals and weddings.