Wild elephant raids family's garden patio to steal bottles of water
Wild elephant raids family's garden patio to steal bottles of water

This is the terrifying moment a wild elephant raided a family's patio to steal bottles of water.

The thirsty jumbo emerged from the jungle and began rummaging through the table on Tuesday night (September 22).

Shocked resident Arisa Amiam, 43, head the noises and rushed out with her husband to see what was happening in her garden in Chanthaburi, eastern Thailand.

She was astonished to see the 8ft tall tusker reaching onto her table with its long trunk and stealing bottles of drinking water.

Arisa is heard in the video saying: ''Go away, elephant.

Don't eat that, it's not good.'' The jumbo turned away only to return moments later and resume its search for food.

It picked up a large piece of clothing as Arisa shouted ''don't eat that''.

Arisa and her husband continued yelling at the elephant and shining a torch at its face, it eventually trudged away back into he forest.

However, Arisa stayed up all night to ensure the creature did not return.

Speaking after, Arisa said: ''Elephants are not so cute for people who live near them.

They raid our homes and can be very dangerous.

''This was a male and he was separated from the herd.

I am sure that he was looking for food because he was hungry.

''There are lots of elephants in the wild near us, but we've never had one come so close to use before.

It was very scary.'' There are an estimated 2,000 elephants living in the wild in Thailand and a similar number in captivity.

In the wild they roam through the deep jungle and in the country's protected national parks.

However, there is conflict when they come in contact with humans who also use the area of farming and gathering food.

Elephants are a protected animal in Thailand and killing them carries a maximum prison term of up to three years and a fine of 1,000 baht (25GBP).