Non Din Daeng police and officers from Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary rushed to the scene after being alerted to the accident at 3.30am.
The driver of the truck, Lampong Faikhao, told police he was transporting eucalyptus wood from Sisaket to Chonburi. He said the elephant appeared suddenly in front of the truck, making a collision unavoidable.
The elephant was able to limp away from the crash with an injured left rear leg, though extensive damage to the front of the truck indicated a high-impact collision. Sanctuary officials have called in veterinarians to examine the elephant.