Thai Motorists Rejoice After Elephant Saviour Prevents Traffic Jam

Thai motorists rejoice after elephant saviour prevents traffic jam

Thai motorists were stuck on the highway after a storm brought debris into the road on 23rd April 2023. Luckily for the motorists, an elephant saviour helped clear the road and prevented hours of traffic jams.

Here’s the story behind the saviour elephant.

Huge rainstorm causes traffic jam

Image credit: @wirawach78 via Tiktok

After weeks of searing heat, Thais were blessed with rains that cooled the weather down. But that blessing came at a cost for motorists along the Lampang-Phrae highway late night on 23rd of April.

Due to heavy winds, huge tree branches blocked the road and prevented cars from passing. With the ongoing downpour and the weight of the branches, many drivers were stuck waiting for the authorities to show up to clear the debris.

Just when people thought they’d have to sit in the rain for hours, an unlikely saviour appeared.

Hero elephant clears the road

Image credit: @guidewang2542 via Tiktok

Instead of being stuck for hours in the rain, a passerby elephant quickly cleared up the debris littered on the road.

Motorists cheered when they saw that their saviour was an elephant who volunteered to help.

Elephants are already dear to Thais as they are Thailand’s national animal. As clips flooded Tiktok, netizens quickly chimed in about how smart and cute this elephant is. Even more, people were curious about who this saviour elephant was.

Elephants returning home from a work trip

Image credit: @wirawach78 via Tiktok

The elephant who saved the motorists is part of a pair of working elephants. The one seen on Tiktok is called Plai Dan Siam, which literally translates to “elephant of Siam”. His partner is called Yaai Dok Kaew, meaning Grandma Jasmine.

Plai Dan Siam, shortened as P’Dan, is a 16-year-old elephant who is a resident of Chaiyaphum. The pair of elephants were on their way home from a job at a parade in Chiang Mai.

The pair were also stuck in traffic before their caretakers decided to ask for P’Dan’s help in clearing the debris.

After learning of their story, netizens and motorists were touched by the elephants’ generosity.

Helping each other in times of need

This heartwarming story of an elephant helping out motorists in the rain is a great reminder of the importance of being kind and helping each other out. Although humans are very capable, many people would’ve been stuck in traffic for hours without this elephant’s assistance.

So when you see someone struggling to do something, be like P’Dan and help them out if you’re capable of doing so.

If you’re not done reading funny stories about Thai people and animals, then you might be interested in reading about when a normal Thai home turns into an impromptu zoo, our border control’s sausage-loving beagle unit, or when a teacher turns a snake crisis into a life lesson for her students.

Cover image adapted from: @wirawach78 and @guidewang2542 via Tiktok