Escaped giraffes spark chaos after breaking free from truck and running along road in Thailand

Escaped giraffes spark chaos after breaking free from truck and running along road in Thailand

Two African giraffes sparked chaos after escaping from a truck while they were being driven to a zoo in Thailand.

The animals were among 66 giraffes that landed at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday (January 28) morning.

But while they were being loaded into a fleet of 24 lorries, workers are believed to have accidentally unfastened a lock on one of the cages.

Footage shows how one of the giraffes charged down a busy highway after getting loose while the truck waited in traffic in Chachoengsao provinces central Thailand, at around 6 pm.

Police and wildlife officials descended on the area and shot a 13ft tall giraffe with a tranquilliser.

However, a second animal escaped into deep woodland and officers were still searching for him today (January 29).

The province has vast areas of jungle that is home to hundreds of wild elephants.

Wildlife officer Phadet Laithong, from the 2nd Forest Conservation Office, said the giraffes were imported by Safari World Plc and being driven to a breeding centre in Prachinburi province.

He said: ''A four-metre tall giraffe was caught by using a tranquilliser dart.

A second giraffe about 20ft tall was captured later in the evening.

However, one of the giraffes escaped.'' The zoo's veterinary staff, officers and rescuers volunteers arrived and began searching for the creature.

The two recaptured giraffes have already sent to the zoo they were destined for.

The delivery truck driver Monthon Mongphetch, 53, said he believed the mistake occurred during the loading process at the airport.

He said: "We were in a convoy truck delivering animals from the airport to the zoo but while we were stuck in the traffic, three giraffes escaped from my vehicle.

"After the giraffes jumped from the wagon and ran away I went to check the cage and found out that it had been insecurely locked from the airport." Pin Kewkacha, executive chairman of Safari World, said it was the first time something like this had happened in more than 30 years he had been in the business.

He suspects a bolt on the door of the cage had been accidentally unlatched while the container was being transferred to the truck.