A wild elephant sparked panic among villagers when it wandered onto a highway in eastern Thailand - where a woman had been trampled to death by the animals a week earlier.

The jumbo known as 'Plai Mamuang' had been separated from its herd and entered the Pluak Daeng district of Rayong province past midnight on May 16.

It disrupted traffic when it walked onto the road and blocked cars from passing.

Residents, fearing the animal might turn aggressive, called wildlife officers to guide it back into the forest.

Officers drove Plai Mamuang into the nearby woods and watched as it crossed a rubber tree plantation into the Khao Chamao district. They believe it had broken away from its herd, typically seen roaming the Wang Chan and Khao Chamao districts.

Locals had previously spotted Plai Mamuang in Wang Chan walking towards the Ban Khai district five days earlier.

The pachyderm's appearance comes a week after a woman in Rayong was trampled to death by a wild elephant.

Namthip Saengkaew, 40, had tried to tackle wild elephants eating crops, but was crushed to death in front of wildlife officials when one of the herd charged at her. She was unable to escape as the rampaging animal attacked her despite gunfire from the officers.