Not tusk luck! Thai traveller’s giant bamboo shoot mistaken for ivory by Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport security (VIDEO)

BANGKOK, June 21 — A routine airport security check turned into an unexpectedly hilarious moment when a Thai traveller’s giant bamboo shoot was briefly mistaken for ivory during an X-ray scan.

The woman shared the now-viral encounter on TikTok after officers at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport stopped her to inspect her luggage, believing a suspicious object inside could be an ivory tusk, according to Khaosod English.

In the video, posted by user @linarskp4, she explained that security staff asked her to open her suitcase after the baggage scanner flagged an object with a shape that looked remarkably like ivory.

The dramatic reveal, however, was far less exotic.

Instead of contraband wildlife products, officers found a large bamboo shoot packed inside her luggage.

“The officer told me to open the bag. When I did, it was just bamboo shoots. He laughed and said it really looked like ivory,” she said in the clip.

According to the traveller, the misunderstanding came down to the bamboo shoot’s distinctive shape.

Its thick body and curved, pointed tip closely resembled an elephant tusk when viewed on the X-ray monitor, making it convincing enough for security officers to carry out a manual inspection.

The clip has since racked up amused reactions online, with many social media users joking that the humble vegetable had briefly taken on the appearance of a valuable wildlife trophy.

Others praised the airport officers for carrying out the inspection professionally, noting that it was better to check a suspicious-looking item than let the real thing slip through unnoticed.