It’s easy to fall in love with elephants in Thailand. They appear on your bucket lists and postcards; standing as symbols of culture, pride and tradition.

But beyond what we see lies another reality – one they live every day, whether we choose to see it or not. And understanding their reality has the power to change everything.

Because what happens next is up to us.

They Were Never Meant to Live Like This 

In the wild, an elephant’s life is expansive. They roam vast, lush landscapes with their families, moving through forests, feeling the breeze, and resting in the shade of trees above them. They choose where to go, when to bathe, and how to live – guided by instinct and freedom. 

They form deep bonds, remain close to the social groups they depend on, and experience the world in ways that are complex and enduring – feeling joy, pain, and fear, just like us. 

And yet, across Thailand today, that life looks very different. 

Today, around 3,800 elephants are kept in captivity in Thailand, many within the tourism industry (compared to an estimated of around 4,600 wild elephants), and around 69% are living in conditions that compromise their welfare. In captivity, their life becomes something else entirely, both mentally and physically: 

• Short chains restrict movement – many elephants spend most of their days like this preventing them from walking or exploring freely. 
• Limited space, often concrete instead of natural ground which are unsuitable for their foot structure. 
• They are deprived of living in herds, which is essential for their natural behavior. 
• Constant proximity to unfamiliar humans and noisy environments, causing stress.
• Poor living conditions, including inadequate hygiene and unvaried diets.
• Training that suppresses natural instincts and replaces them with submission.

What we see as a beautiful moment of interaction is, for the elephant, the result of a life shaped by control.  They are wild animals – with wild needs. And no amount of training can change that.

Have we been loving them the wrong way? 

The ways in which we interact with elephants may cause more harm than we realise. Elephants have long been part of Thai culture – animals we’ve grown up with and feel deeply connected to. 

But is interacting with them in ways that restrict their natural behaviour really the right way to show our love? 

Maybe it’s time to rethink what love truly means. 

The Reality Behind the Experience 

Have you ever ridden an elephant, fed them, taken photos with them, or bathed alongside them? 

What feels like a special moment to us often comes at a cost we don’t see. 

For elephants to be able to interact so closely with humans, they first have to be made compliant. Many are taken from their mothers at a young age and subjected to cruel training designed to suppress their natural behaviour. 

This process, often referred to as “the crush”, is as the name suggests designed to “crush” an elephant’s spirit until resistance disappears. It involves separating calves from their mothers, and includes isolation, starvation, restraint, and exposure to repeated physical and psychological pressure. Tools like bullhooks are used on sensitive areas, alongside prolonged chaining and constant stress, until fear replaces instinct. The aim is to make the calf compliant enough to accept human control for the rest of its life. 

By the time an elephant offers a ride, splashes in a river with visitors, or performs in a show, the most devastating part has already happened. 

From this point onwards, their lives are shaped by human control – often maintained through restraint, routine, and fear. 

Over the years that follow, many live with: 

• Short chains that allow only a few steps in any direction.
• Long hours spent waiting for the next performance or photo.
• Limited opportunities to socialise – with many unable to form natural bonds.
• Workdays that stretch far beyond what their bodies were built to endure.

A tourist’s moment lasts minutes. For an elephant, the consequences last a lifetime.

Many of us never knew. But now that we do, the question is – what happens next?

The Reality Behind the Industry 

A comprehensive assessment by World Animal Protection, based on 15 years of research, examined the living conditions of thousands of elephants across 236 tourism venues in Thailand. 

The findings reveal the scale of the problem: 

• 69% of elephants used in tourism are living in poor or unacceptable conditions.
• 64% spend their days on short chains.
• 74% are unable to socialise naturally.
• Only 5% are kept in conditions considered the “best possible” in captivity.

While some progress has been made in recent years, the majority of elephants in tourism still face lives defined by restriction, stress, and limited opportunity to express their natural behaviours.

Despite disruption during COVID-19, Thailand’s elephant tourism industry has rebounded – bringing renewed demand for elephant experiences, and with it, continued pressure on elephants in captivity. 

The Situation Behind It 

In Thailand, the way elephants are treated is influenced not only by tourism but by how they are defined under the law. Captive elephants are not protected as wildlife. Instead, they are classified as beasts of burden – a legal status that places them closer to livestock than to the wild animals they are. This distinction has real consequences. It shapes how elephants are managed, how their welfare is regulated, and the level of protection they receive – leaving gaps that allow practices unacceptable for wildlife to continue.

Laws governing captive elephants remain outdated and fragmented, creating loopholes that allow exploitation to continue with limited accountability.

Because of this, many captive elephants are treated no differently from cattle, with limited protection and oversight.

It raises an important question: how can the same species be treated so differently under the law?

This is the real elephant in the room – a situation that not only allows exploitation, but enables it to continue.

And if elephants are to have a better future, this situation must change.

Why We’re Taking a Stand

 
Many captive elephants will never be able to return to the wild. After years of living under human control, they now depend on people and the systems around them to protect their welfare.

As a company operating in Thailand, LUSH believes we have a responsibility to stand up for Thailand’s elephants. Wildlife is part of the country’s natural heritage and should be a source of pride, not exploitation. Elephants are not attractions; they are wild animals with needs that must be respected.

That’s why we’ve created the Asian Elephant Shower Jelly, a LUSH Giving product designed to raise awareness and drive change. A total of 3,800 shower jellies have been produced, representing the estimated number of elephants currently kept in captivity in Thailand – one of the highest figures in the world.
 
75% of the sales price (minus tax) will support World Animal Protection Thailand and their advocacy work to end elephant exploitation in Thailand.
 
Together, we are working to strengthen protection and build a future where elephants in Thailand are protected, not exploited.

Guided by the belief that a “Wild life is a LUSH life”, Lush believes all living beings should be able to thrive and express their natural behaviours.
 
For elephants who cannot return to the wild, this means recognising them as wild animals — and protecting their right to live accordingly.

Because a wild life is what every elephant deserves.

What Happens Next Is Up To Us 

We all have a role to play in shaping a better future for our elephant friends. The choices we make – where we go, what we support, and how we engage – have the power to drive change.

Our Goal Is Clear 

To end the exploitation of elephants in Thailand. 

Because in the end, their future is in all of our hands. 

By choosing not to ride, wash or interact with captive elephants, you help break the cycle of demand that continues to exploit them. 

By purchasing the Asian Elephant Shower Jelly, you’re also directly supporting World Animal Protection Thailand’s work to end elephant exploitation. 

Let’s work together to make the world “lusher” than we found it. 

Help Make an impact – purchase a limited edition Asian Elephant Shower Jelly today 

Meet our Partner & What We’re Working Towards 

World Animal Protection is an international organisation working to end animal cruelty and improve animal welfare worldwide. 

In Thailand, they carry out advocacy campaigns, conduct research, and collaborate with multiple sectors to create long-term, lasting and sustainable change for animals. 

This project is therefore created to support that work, focusing on: 

• Driving policy change, strengthening legal protection and closing gaps in current legislation.
• Improving the quality of life for elephants in captivity. 
• Shifting public awareness and ending demand for harmful interactions.

Together, these efforts aim to end elephant exploitation in Thailand – creating a future where captive elephants are protected, not exploited.
 

Lush Giving Products 

Our Giving Products support human rights, animal welfare, and environmental protection by raising money for causes that matter. 

Find out more on the Lush Thailand Giving page.