This is the astonishing moment a hungry wild elephant steals pumpkins from a passing pickup truck on a road in Thailand.

The filmer said they were driving through Pala-U Forest in Prachuap Khiri Khan on December 2 when they encountered an unexpected traffic jam.

Curious as to why several cars were stopped, he and his companion looked closely and were shocked to spot a jumbo calmly walking down the road.

Footage shows the massive creature heading towards the stationary vehicles before approaching a pickup truck loaded with pumpkins. The elephant then used its trunk to grab and munch on its satisfying meal.

Some cars began reversing while others continued their journey, leaving the vehicle held up by the elephant behind.

Later on, the pickup truck sped off, causing some vegetables to fall on the ground. The animal refused to chase the vehicle and instead focused on eating the fallen snacks, allowing traffic to resume.

There are believed to be up to 3,500 elephants living in the wild 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 the country at the beginning of the 20th century.

The main threats to the beasts are habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and conflict with humans.

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

Though the elephants are usually not aggressive, there have been several fatal elephant attacks in Thailand in recent years - with at least four in January alone.

On January 3, Spanish tourist Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, 22, was struck by an elephant she was bathing at the Koh Yao Elephant Care centre in Phang Nga province. She reportedly slipped and accidentally grabbed its trunk, causing the animal to smash her against the rocky pool.

On January 17, farmer Anukoon Khampraphai, 42, was trampled to death by a wild jumbo he crashed into, also in Trat province.

On January 19, Anan Chorawek, 53, was killed by a bull named Seedor Sab at his orchard in Trat province. He reportedly set off fireworks, trying to drive Seedor Sab away, but the loud noise only enraged the pachyderm. It charged at him and trampled him to death.

While on January 31, forager Aphisit Yakrasan, 47, was brutally attacked by a tusker in heat in Nakhon Ratchasima province. He had been collecting mushrooms when the animal emerged from the forest and stomped on him to death.