Footage shows the way abused elephants are trained to entertain tourists in Thailand.

Cane-wielding mahouts were seen riding the costumed jumbos at the 'Elephant Village' in northeastern Surin province on July 10.

The elephants twerked obediently for fear of being beaten, drawing delighted laughter from the crowd of amused spectators.

Animal rights groups continually campaign for elephants to be prevented from working in the country's notorious tourist industry.

As of 2023, there are an estimated 3,084-3,500 wild elephants in Thailand. A similar number live in captivity, where they are bought and sold for shows, religious pomp and tourist destinations.

The wild population has been increasing in recent years, but it is still a fraction of the estimated 300,000 wild elephants that lived in Thailand at the beginning of the 20th century.

The main threats to wild elephants in Thailand are habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and conflict with humans.