Like posing with tigers, elephant trekking is extremely popular with tourists in Thailand.

But in order for the animals to be kept under control, they go through a painful ritual called the Phajaan; translated as “the crush”. This is done to destroy the elephant’s spirit and make them compliant.

Once the baby elephants have been taken from their mothers, they are held in confined cages that allow for no movement.

Baby elephants are taken from their mothers, held in confined cages and tortured with bull hooks to make them submissive

Then they are tortured and beaten for an extended period with bull hooks or sticks. Once submissive, they can be used for profit in trekking tours, painting shows and street begging.

One sanctuary aiming to provide a safe place for elephants, while educating tourists of their mistreatment, is the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai.

According to its co-founder Adam Flinn, many tourists simply aren’t aware of the harm that their actions are causing.

“Mistreatment of elephants is common due to ignorance among tourists and the outdated belief that elephants are for entertainment,” he says. “To improve animal welfare, education is crucial.”