This is the astonishing moment an elephant visited a car wash for a shower in Thailand.

Footage shows the pachyderm enjoying a bath as its mahout rinsed suds off its body at the coin-operated car wash in Chonburi province, on March 20.

The gentle giant appeared to relish the cool water, its mouth open in delight as the handler blasted it with a hose.

An onlooker said: 'I was both amused and bewildered, wondering why an elephant was entering the car wash. It looked adorable while bathing, so I decided to record the moment on my phone.'

Thailand has an estimated 4,000 elephants in captivity. They are put to work in the logging industry, tourism resorts or kept privately for use at religious events and rituals.