Police arrested a mahout for walking his elephant along a crowded market street in Thailand.

Sa-nga Suttikon sparked alarm when he brought along the 10-year-old jumbo Moja-Jae to solicit food from vendors along the Bang Bo Municipal Road in Samut Prakan province on March 16.

He was seen walking the giant creature next to passing cars and sidewalk stalls.

Police Colonel Chairat Rungruang, superintendent of the Bang Bo Police Station, said officers were dispatched to arrest Sa-nga following complaints from worried locals.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanasate Chaolertthanakit of the Bang Bo police said Sa-nga was detained at the station while police were coordinating with the Royal Forest Department to relocate the elephant.

He said: 'The mahout may face several charges, including transporting animals without a license, which is punishable under the Animal Movement Act with six months of jail and a fine not exceeding 10,000 baht.

'He may also be guilty of violating several sections of the Criminal Code regarding cruelty to animals, which carries a fine of up to 1,000 baht, and violating the Highway Act prohibiting pets on the road shoulder.

'Lastly, Section 20 of the Prevention of Cruelty and Animal Welfare Act of 2014 prohibits taking elephants out to wander, as it exposes them to risks like car accidents, electric shocks, and falling into manholes in urban environments.'

Sa-nga allegedly admitted that he knew his acts were unlawful.

He claimed the elephant, which came from Surin province, helped support his livelihood.

He said: 'I earn about 3,000 baht a day. I walked with Moja-Jae from Bo Win district, Chon Buri province, all the way here to Samut Prakan province. We travel to community areas and busy streets from 6 am to noon, finding a resting spot near the canal with trees after midday.'

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.