This is the endearing moment a greedy juvenile elephant and his herd plundered fruits from gardens - before being ushered back to a forest.

The hungry calf named Hong Thong and eight of its companions invaded villagers' fields to steal some of their harvests in Trat, Thailand, on July 11.

Wildlife officers arrived and began interacting with the teenage ringleader, who appeared guilty after being caught and obediently followed their commands.

The animal can be seen lying down on the ground, complying with the men's instructions while its companions were busy eating fruits from the gardens, causing significant damage to the farms.

Authorities then used motorcycles to herd all the elephants back into the forest.

Elephants are known for their voracious appetite. The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) found need to eat up to 150kg of food per day - the equivalent of 375 tins of baked beans

Conservationists in Thailand say that wild elephants - up to 3,500 of them - have even developed a taste for human food and prefer to rummage through homes and vehicles for snacks, instead of the bland leaves they find in the forest.