This is the breathtaking moment a wild elephant held up traffic when it emerged on a rural road in Thailand.

The bull, which was between 15 and 18-years-old without any tusks, was unfazed by the presence of the people and vehicles. It wandered down the road for a few minutes before disappearing back into the forest.

Schoolboy Krishna Rojanaburanont, 14, captured the stunning images in Nakhon Ratchasima province on June 4.

The youngster said he was on a nature photography day trip with his father when he spotted the elephant walking down the road. He was able to get within a few feet of the animal and take some amazing photos.

Chaiya Huaihongthong, the head of Khao Yai National Park, said that wild elephants occasionally come out to walk on the road that leads to the Prachinburi side.

He said that officials in the sprawling area of protected and open national parkland are working to educate visitors about how to safely interact with wild animals.

Chaiya said: ‘We ask that visitors drive slowly and carefully when they see wild animals on the road.

‘They should also keep their distance and not feed or disturb the animals.'

Chaiya said that Krishna's photos are a reminder of the beauty and importance of Thailand's wildlife. They are also a reminder that we must do our part to protect these animals and their habitats.

He added: ‘Since I took the position of head of the Khao Yai National Park for almost two years, I have never seen wild elephants attack anyone. Wild elephants in Khao Yai are good-natured. They won't harm anyone.'

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.