Chapter 9
Elephants in Tourism. Sustainable
and Practical Approaches to Captive
Elephant Welfare and Conservation
in Thailand
Abstract This chapter analyzes the complexities of the issues surrounding captive
elephants within Thailand’s tourism industry. It aims to assess the current status and
urgency of elephant conservation; presents an overview of the role of captive
elephants in tourism; addresses the animal welfare issues in Thailand’s tourism
industry as presented by scholars and NGOs; and proposes feasible approaches
toward sustainable alternatives and solutions.
9.1 Introduction.........................................
Thailand has been severely criticized by international animal rights, animal welfare,
and wildlife conservationist groups for its use of captive elephants for human
entertainment in the tourism industry. These groups, including the international
media, have highlighted the issues pertaining to animal welfare within this industry
in various reports and news articles. However, reports oftentimes focus only or too
vehemently on one aspect of a larger issue which misrepresents the complexities of
said issue. There are important environmental, social, economic, and political issues
linked to the predicament of elephants in tourism which are not considered
(Elephant Nature Foundation n.d.). Realistic and sustainable solutions are necessary
to the welfare of captive elephants in tourism and the conservation of the endan-
gered species. This chapter serves to analyze the complexities of the issues sur-
rounding captive elephants within Thailand’s tourism industry using scholarly
works, NGO and media reports, and published case studies. Its goals are to consider
the current status and urgency of elephant conservation; present an overview of the
role of captive elephants in tourism; address the animal welfare issues in Thailand’s
tourism industry as presented by scholars and NGOs; and assess feasible (and
infeasible) approaches toward sustainable alternatives and solutions.
©Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017
P. Malikhao,Culture and Communication in Thailand, Communication,
Culture and Change in Asia 3, DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-4125-9_9
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