Chiang Mai and Kanchanaburi are hotspots for elephant tourism. Many street agencies and online ads promote 'ethical sanctuaries' or 'no riding' experiences. However, many of these are traditional elephant camps that rebranded as 'sanctuaries' without changing their practices. The elephants may still be chained when tourists are not watching, the bathing experience may stress the animals, and the facilities prioritize volume over welfare. Genuine sanctuaries (like Elephant Nature Park) are well-known and book out weeks in advance. A very cheap 'elephant experience' (under 2,000 THB) is a red flag, as proper sanctuaries have higher costs to maintain ethical standards.
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