The silver vehicle, carrying a family, was making its way through the Khao Yai National Park near Bangkok on the way to National Children's Day celebrations nearby.

However, the driver of the car was forced to stop as the male elephant wandered out into the middle of the road and approached the car. 

Footage filmed by a mobile phone from within the vehicle, then shows the animal getting extremely close to the car before resting its trunk on the bonnet.

Then the elephant can be seen putting its two front feet on top of the bonnet before bringing up its hind legs and almost sitting on the front of the vehicle.

The giant creature then jumps off the car on to the ground and walks away leaving a badly dented bonnet with a cracked windscreen.

Fortunately the family inside the vehicle were unharmed.

It is the second such incident this month involving an elephant inside the park after one damaged another three vehicles on New Year's Day.

It is unclear if the same elephant was involved in both incidents.

Patarapol Maneeorn, a government veterinarian told the National that elephants do not usually approach cars, but this particular creature might be stressed due to mating season.

(dailymail.co.uk)