Elephant tourism in Thailand: a review of animal welfare practices and needs
Abstract
Elephant tourism in Thailand has developed into an important socio-economic factor after a logging ban initiated in 1989 resulted in thousands of out-of-work elephants. However, the welfare of captive elephants has been a topic of intense debate among tourists, scientists and stakeholders because of the range of working conditions and management practices to which they are exposed. The aim of this paper is to summarize the current state of knowledge on captive elephant welfare, with an emphasis on tourist elephants in Thailand, and highlight information gaps and recommendations for future directions. Tourist-oriented elephant camps could improve the welfare of elephants through better management practices that take into account physiological and psychological needs of individual animals, including meeting social and nutritional requirements, providing good health care, and maintaining adequate facilities. Our goal is to develop science-based guidelines that government agencies can use to develop an enforceable set of practical regulations to ensure good management of tourist elephants in Thailand.
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In range countries, male elephants are still primarily housed individually due to concerns about aggression, particularly during musth periods.
“However, in range countries, males are still primarily housed individually due to concerns about aggression, particularly during musth periods [27].”
From Socializing a group of male Asian elephants in a semi-captive facility in Lao PDR (2025) · cites this paper as [27]
The lack of enforceable standards results in varied management practices across and even within camps, which ultimately poses challenges in addressing the welfare needs of camp elephants.
“In addition, the lack of enforceable standards results in varied management practices across and even within camps (64), which ultimately poses challenges in addressing the welfare needs of camp elephants.”
From Comparison of animal welfare assessment tools and methodologies: need for an effective approach for captive elephants in Asia (2024) · cites this paper as [64]
Thailand initiated efforts to improve elephant welfare in 2002 with welfare standards for elephant camps, later supplemented by additional standards in 2009.
“Thailand, for example, initiated efforts to improve elephant welfare in 2002 with welfare standards for elephant camps, later supplemented by additional standards in 2009 (64).”
From Comparison of animal welfare assessment tools and methodologies: need for an effective approach for captive elephants in Asia (2024) · cites this paper as [64]
Compliance with Thailand's elephant camp welfare standards was low due to non-enforceability and limited incentives.
“However, compliance was low due to non-enforceability and limited incentives.”
From Comparison of animal welfare assessment tools and methodologies: need for an effective approach for captive elephants in Asia (2024) · cites this paper as [64]
The Asian Captive Elephant Standards (ACES) were created to promote the well-being of elephants in Southeast Asia but require sincere participation from elephant camps and strict welfare monitoring by governmental bodies.
“The Asian Captive Elephant Standards (ACES) were created to promote the well-being of elephants in Southeast Asia but require sincere participation from elephant camps and strict welfare monitoring by governmental bodies (64).”
From Comparison of animal welfare assessment tools and methodologies: need for an effective approach for captive elephants in Asia (2024) · cites this paper as [64]
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Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand
Bansiddhi, P., Brown, J. L., & Thitaram, C. (2020) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani10060919 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Self-citationBansiddhi, P., Brown, J. L., Khonmee, J., Norkaew, T., Nganvongpanit, K., Punyapornwithaya, V., Angkawanish, T., Somgird, C., & Thitaram, C. (2019) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221537 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Self-citationManagement factors affecting physical health and welfare of tourist camp elephants in Thailand
Bansiddhi, P., Nganvongpanit, K., Brown, J. L., Punyapornwithaya, V., Pongsopawijit, P., & Thitaram, C. (2019) · PeerJ · doi:10.7717/peerj.6756 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
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Self-citationSocializing a group of male Asian elephants in a semi-captive facility in Lao PDR
López Pérez, A. B., Brown, J. L., Goldenberg, S. Z., Rey, A., & Khonmee, J. (2025) · PLOS One · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0332944 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“However, in range countries, males are still primarily housed individually due to concerns about aggression, particularly during musth periods [27].”
Self-citation
- Authors
- Bansiddhi, P., Brown, J. L., Thitaram, C., Punyapornwithaya, V., & Nganvongpanit, K.
- Affiliations
- Chiang Mai University (TH)
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Thitaram, Chatchote
- Nganvongpanit, Korakot
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2019-01-28
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 164-177
- ISSN
- 1088-8705 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-7604
- OpenAlex
- W2914784636
- Cited by
- 65
- References
- 83
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 6.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Research Council of Thailand (170183)
- Thailand Research Fund (TRF), the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. program (PHD/0187/2558)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Keywords
- elephant tourism, Thailand, logging ban, animal welfare guidelines, nutrient requirements, social needs, welfare regulation
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Animal Husbandry, Animal Welfare, Animals, Zoo, Elephants, Thailand
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