A brave villager who tried to tackle a herd of wild elephants eating crops was trampled to death in front of wildlife officials in Thailand - with multiple gunshots failing to stop the rampaging beast.

Namthip Saengkaew, 40, was riding her motorbike to work when she noticed several elephants that had entered a palm plantation in Rayong province on May 10.

She rushed back home to call authorities to drive the wandering jumbos back into the wilderness.

Despite the danger, Namthip insisted on leading the task force to the animals' location. However, one of the pachyderms suddenly charged at her, prompting the officers to unload two magazines of bullets to stop it.

Still, the animal kept barreling onward until it crushed hapless Namthip, who was unable to run away in time.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Sawai Chinwong, superintendent of the Wang Chan police station, was informed of Namthip's death at 7 PM.

Cops and doctors arrived at the scene, where the task force were guarding Namthip's battered body from the other elephants. They found her lying in a pool of blood, with broken ribs, arms, and legs.

Her remains were taken to the Wang Chan Hospital for a post-mortem exam.

The wildlife officers said they were called to the plantation to drive the elephants out. They believe Namthip's 'large stature' prevented her from escaping the beast's assault.

Rayong Governor Traipop Wongtrairat said he has ordered local authorities to ensure the safety of the residents.

He added: 'Authorities are searching for the four elephants which have left the plantation, but are feared to still be roaming the area.

Residents who live nearby have been temporarily banned from tapping rubber trees as we are concerned there could be another elephant attack.'

Thailand has an estimated 2,000 Asian elephants living in the wild - down from 100,000 a century ago - and around 3,000 in captivity owned privately. In the wild they are seen wandering freely among protected forests, occasionally appearing on the roads that run through them.

Male Asian elephants, unlike African elephants, roam alone once they are over ten years old while females remain with the herd. They are most during mating season from November to January when they emerge from the jungles in search of a mate.

There is conflict when they come into contact with humans on rural roads and in villages so wildlife rangers are tasked with monitoring their movements.