Their stories are no different from those of thousands of elephants across Thailand working to entertain people - in zoos, at riding camps, in sanctuaries and on beaches.
How Thailand’s performing elephants became symbols of despair
His legs are contorted and his spirit is breaking.
He is just eight or nine years old.
Something was clearly wrong with him but still he was made to entertain.
Zoo officials deny any cruelty was involved, saying he was like their “child”.
Video: Moving Animals
Their stories are no different from those of thousands of elephants across Thailand working to entertain people - in zoos, at riding camps, in sanctuaries and on beaches.
Bullhooks and nails are common tools to discipline performing elephants; since they were babies, pain is used to train and control them.
Welfare standards for Thailand’s elephant camps remain voluntary.
Inspections are sporadic; penalties are light.
Elephant-riding businesses defend the practice, arguing that they are strong animals.
Animal groups say they are overworked, underfed and made to work until they die.
Elephant Nature Park near Chiang Mai is home to 85 of them, many disabled, mistreated and abandoned.
There, tourists can watch
elephants from a safe distance
feeding, playing
and swimming.
“I see how terrible they are but after they stay with us a while, they start rolling in the mud, trumpeting and start to run and play,” says park founder Lek Chailert.
“They want to taste freedom.”
Text, photos and videos:
Jack Board and Pichayada Promchertchoo
Coder: Calvin Chia
Editor: Dawn Teo