I believe in trying everything once… within reason. Thailand is one of the most distinctly unique places I’ve been, and there’s no shortage of things to do, but not every possible experience here is worth your money. Some of the most heavily marketed “must-dos” are staged for tourists, harmful to humans and animals, or just a straight up waste of baht. Here are the activities in Thailand you should skip, and why.
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Activities to avoid in Thailand
Sorry to be preachy, but I’m always surprised by how many people seem to literally not know that some activities are unethical. Or actively ignore the evidence, I don’t know. But in 2026 with our unbridled access to the internet 24/7, there’s no reason to remain uninformed.
But you’re here! Learning about all the worst activities in Thailand to avoid, so you’re woke af now. Here are some things I think you can safely skip during your visit, whether they’re seriously unethical or just kind of lame.
Ping Pong shows
This is one of the worst activities in Thailand, popular for the shock-value, but closely tied to human trafficking. You can bet the performers aren’t independent contractors doing it because they’re passionate about sex shows. There’s no ethical version of attending, and we shouldn’t be normalizing sex tourism.
Fortunately, I do think the tides are turning a bit on ping pong shows in Thailand, and fewer tourists are going just for the novelty. (I like to think Gen Z are more aware and responsible than previous generations, and I love that for them.)
Oh, and if the ethical side of things isn’t enough to convince you, the venues often run scams that take advantage of drunk tourists, too.
Long neck villages (and similar)
I did this when I went to Thailand for the first time — I was 20 years old and didn’t know any better. As someone who loves learning about different cultures and traditions, I was keen to visit a unique hilltribe and didn’t consider the implications for the locals. You’ve probably seen photos of the Kayan women. Their culture is famous because they wear permanent brass coils around their necks to create an elongating effect. The tradition is several hundred years old and definitely fascinating.
But the way it’s shifted for tourism has become exploitative, and it’s a bit like visiting a human zoo when you go to their “village.” The village is just a series of bamboo huts where the locals sell mass-produced trinkets you can find in any market and take photos with tourists. They don’t actually live there.
Photo: Deror Avi/Wikimedia
Riding elephants
Years of unethical tourism have done real damage to elephant welfare across Thailand. The “training” methods used to make these gentle giants compliant enough for riding are harsh — the process is literally known as “the crush.”
I mean, think about the abuse they have to endure to become submissive when they’re literally 50x heavier than we are. I’ll spare you the details, but it involves metal prods, chains, deprivation, and confinement to literally break their spirits.
And the elephant "sanctuaries" aren't always better
And you’d be forgiven for thinking the shift from riding to bathing and washing experiences is more ethical. But unfortunately, lots of unethical elephant camps have simply rebranded the same operation, and the elephants are still treated poorly to be broken down enough that they’re not dangerous to tourists.
If you want to see elephants ethically, look for a sanctuary that lets them roam free. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy research to do. Responsible Travel has a list of ethical elephant sanctuaries you can visit across Thailand. Quick tip: any opportunity to touch the animals essentially signals that it’s not an ethical sanctuary.
Photo: Wikimedia
Petting baby tigers or lions
Places that let you pet baby lion and tiger cubs don’t stay babies for long, so these venues cycle through cubs constantly to keep this experience available to tourists. That means what? You guessed it — that they’re torn away from their mothers. And they become too desensitized to humans to ever be released back into the wild.
This extends to tiger temples and “sanctuaries” that let you pose with full-grown, seemingly tame tigers. Besides the horrors of living in captivity, their calm behaviour isn’t natural. And big surprise, some of the highest-profile cases (like Kanchanaburi’s Tiger Temple) involve serious abuse, drugging, and illegal trafficking. I’ll note that it’s legal to own lions in Thailand with the right permits, so it’s not always illegal (not that it makes it any better IMO).
If you truly love big cats, then their suffering really isn’t worth the photo op.
Exotic animal cafés
It’s not just lions and tigers.
Bangkok’s other exotic animal cafés may look whimsical, but they’re also not chill and are objectively unethical. We walked past an owl café and fox café in the chic Bangkok neighbourhood of Pathum Wan and they has lineups out the door. I kind of couldn’t believe it. I know they’re cute, but omg.
With a bit of critical thinking, it’s unlikely that nocturnal owls kept awake under lights and forced into handling all day aren’t living their best lives. Foxes confined to small indoor spaces and kept for a photo opportunities are also not thriving like they would be back in their natural habitats. There are also capybara cafés and lord knows what else — all best to avoid.
The good news is that I think cat and dog cafés are (usually) passable. They’re already domesticated and comfortable around people. Cats and dogs likely wouldn’t be living outdoors in the wild, and the life of a homeless street dog isn’t a cozy one. So I think the cafés aren’t the worst-case scenario, and it’s certainly more ethical than the exotic pets.
Photo: Jordan Williams/Facebook
Animal shows
Snake shows, monkey shows, crocodile wrestling,.. Thailand has it all, and none of it is ethical lol.
Just like the elephants, training involves abuse or “physical correction” to perform for a paying crowd. They’re not even traditional practices being preserved for cultural reasons — they only exist because tourists continue to pay to watch them. So let’s all stop, right?
Other animal photo ops
You’ll see this most often in Bangkok’s most touristy areas (obviously). Someone carrying a huge snake, an exotic bird, a monkey in a costume, or even a slow loris and encouraging tourists to hold the animals and take photos in exchange for money.
These animals are either born into captivity or usually captured from the wild. For example, slow lorises are often brutally defanged because their only self defence mechanism is their venom. (That’s right, those adorable little guys with the huge glassy eyes can make your skin rot.)
Once again, this is an unethical animal experience in Thailand because they’re all poorly treated.
Full Moon parties
Look, there’s nothing inherently unethical about these parties, and a lot of people regard them as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I get it. But you should have seen the mountain of plastic cups and other garbage all over the beach in Koh Phangan the next morning.
Full Moon parties aren’t some beautiful Thai tradition… it’s just a bunch of foreigners getting blackout drunk or taking mushrooms on the beach once a month. It has kind of destroyed the island of Koh Phangan, and for what? It’s lame, skip.
They can also be dangerous, as you don’t know what’s in that mushroom shake you bought from a stranger. It’s also a popular spot for theft, so if you insist on going, at least take care of yourself and your belongings!
Eating bugs
This is one of the activities in Thailand that isn’t actually problematic, it’s just like… why? Crickets, silkworms, and grasshoppers are legit snacks in parts of Thailand, especially the north and northeast. No ethics violation here (unless you’re vegan/vegetarian) — the way I see it, it’s just protein with legs.
But the giant scorpions and tarantulas you’ll see on Khao San Road aren’t traditional. They’re specifically for tourists who want a shock-value photo and I guess feel like they have something to prove. Try the crickets if you’re really curious, skip the centipede.
Travel essentials for Thailand
📶 eSIM
Stay connected with internet access everywhere you travel.
💸 TravelSpend
Track what you spend on activities in Thailand with a colourful doughnut chart and stats.
✈️ Seats.aero
Find and book flights with your points for Aeroplan, Lufthansa, Delta & more.
💳 Wise or Revolut
Compare the best multicurrency cards for spending Thai baht (THB).
None of this means Thailand isn’t worth visiting. There are a million amazing things to do — you can still party and spot wildlife ethically from a distance at a national park. But it’s easy to get carried away, and some tourists treat the country like a lawless adventure park where anything goes. Don’t be that guy! Be a responsible traveller and skip these activities in Thailand.
Naomi Lai
Naomi is a Canadian travel editor and writer with 13 years of international travel across Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, New Zealand, and beyond. She covers everything from budget backpacking to luxury travel — always from personal experience.
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