Wild elephants
Sometimes on the road at dusk.
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Thailand's first national park, declared in 1962, and its best known and closest to Bangkok, about three hours' drive north-east of the capital. It is part of the Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, with dense rainforest, hills, open grassland and waterfalls. Wild elephants live here, and a herd sometimes appears on the main road in the evening; sambar deer graze the meadows near the visitor centre, gibbons call in the morning, and huge hornbills fly over. There are forest trails, mountain viewpoints, a wildlife-watching tower by the lakes, and two famous waterfalls, Haew Suwat and Haew Narok. The park fee is about four hundred baht per foreign adult and two hundred per child, paid once at the gate and valid all day, plus a small car fee; the gates open from six in the morning until six in the evening. If you meet elephants, stay on the road and in the car, keep your distance, and never feed the monkeys. Allow at least a full day, starting at dawn when the animals are active, or stay in the towns just outside the park such as Pak Chong, with its hotels, farms and restaurants. Longer trails are best walked with a park ranger guide, and watch for leeches in the rainy season.
Sometimes on the road at dusk.
Near the visitor centre.
Haew Suwat and Haew Narok.
Visitor centre, Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 180 km north-east of Bangkok
They are often seen on the main road in the evening and morning, but nothing is guaranteed. Stay in the car and keep your distance.
It is possible, but the drive is three hours each way, so a night near the park is much better.