An elephant centre in Ratchaburi, western Thailand, is selling all of the animals due to the plunge in tourist numbers.

The tourism dependent industry has been ravaged by the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic after borders were closed on March 22.

Seven of the animals were rescued by the Save Elephant Foundation which will care for the jumbos in sanctuaries. Local officials are now raising moment to help to take in some of the other elephants.

The president of the foundation Sangduen Chailert said the elephants will be sent to live freely in a camp in Chaing Mai, northern Thailand.

She said: "We have raised money from the generous locals who are interested in helping the elephants and we have enough funds to buy seven of the jumbos.

"They will be sent to the camp in Chiang Mai and we promised the farm to let them live naturally there."