Pupils ran in terror when a wild elephant approached their school in Thailand.

Students at the Ban Prang Kla School in Nakhon Ratchasima were holding their morning assembly when the male jumbo named Plai Krae emerged from the forest and crossed the road toward the school's entrance on September 11.

An announcement was heard on the PA system shortly before a crowd of terrified schoolchildren fled the field to take shelter.

National park staff were at the scene to guide Plai Krae and prevent collisions on the road.

The elephant shuffled toward a nearby forest without causing any harm.

Plai Krae was previously seen at a residence in the same province, using his trunk to drink from a water jar in the middle of the night on August 24.

The wandering elephant had also sparked panic when he entered the Wat Khaoyai Yanasampanno temple while devotees were making merit on August 1.

Plai Krae was estimated to be around 20 years old and is slightly smaller than regular elephants. Locals were familiar with him as he regularly roamed the vicinity of the Khao Yai National Park.

Residents said Plai Krae had never hurt anyone, but they were worried it might be struck by speeding vehicles.

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.