Elephants: The elephant camps and conservation centers in the north of Thailand are plentiful but also trekking on elephants is a popular activity, many do not know that the elephants suffer may from it.

Although the elephant is strong, its spine is weak and cannot take the strain of the heavy elephant chairs and tourists over long hours. (which most tourist rides are not that hours long)  An elephant takes a lot to feed such a large animal with a inefficient  digestive system so needs time to feed. So loving mahouts do not work long hours.

Adequate support beneath the chairs is needed and the use of ropes to bind the chair may also cause chaffing so check your elephant is not chaffed..

Whilst it is true that the only way that the domesticated elephants must be supported is through tourism, as logging is banned in Thailand, there are places available do not do this at the expense of the animals' welfare. So please make sure you use a responsible mahout.

One such place is Elephant Nature Park in Chiangmai, and the other, Boon Lott Elephant Sanctuary in Sukothai. Lamphang Elephant conservatory

So support the elephants through responsible tourism not be put off by fear tact acts. Because without your support they will suffer and only be left in zoos.