Thousands of Asian elephants are kept in tourist camps across Thailand and Southeast Asia, where welfare standards vary enormously and many elephants suffer from overwork and poor conditions.
The elephant tourism industry spans a wide spectrum from deeply abusive camps using traditional breaking methods to genuine welfare-focused sanctuaries. Most tourists cannot distinguish between these extremes based on marketing alone. Riding, performing, and painting are welfare red flags that indicate ongoing stress and training through aversive methods. Ethical interactions that observe elephants in natural behaviors without riding or performance are both more welfare-positive and more educationally valuable.