A zoo in Thailand is profiting from 'orangutan boxing' where apes appear to fight for the amusement of locals and tourists.

The supposed good-natured show - which takes place at Safari World in Bangkok - has been criticised by animal rights activists who say it should be shut down.

One tourist who saw the display condemned the zoo for exploiting the incredibly intelligent primates.

Footage shows an exploitative zoo in Bangkok profiteering from 'orangutan boxing'. Activists have heavily criticised the show arguing the show is cruel to the sweet-natured primates

'They're so smart and can tell when they're being laughed at - it upset me so much I had to come home and shower just to wash it all off,' said one person who saw the show

'Orangutans are extremely intelligent, and the zoo was exploiting that.

'They're so smart and can tell when they're being laughed at - it upset me so much I had to come home and shower just to wash it all off.' said Samantha Fuller, a teacher from America working abroad in Thailand told the New York Post.

‘It is shocking that such cruel and exploitative treatment of animals continues for the so-called ‘entertainment’ of tourists,’ Philip Mansbridge, UK Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), told Metro.co.uk.

‘Orangutans are highly intelligent and sensitive animals that share 97% of their DNA with humans and they do not belong in a ring where they are dressed up and made to fight.’

In addition to the two apes mock-fighting, other oranguatans are made to dress up in bikinis holding ring cards.

Despite trying to frame the show as fun and friendly japes, orangutans are often taken from their mothers in the wild and sold illicitly to black market traders.

Though there is no evidence this is the case for Safari World, critics say there is an underlying cruelty to the show beyond what tourists get to see.

Despite trying to frame the show as fun and friendly japes, orangutans are often taken from their mothers in the wild and sold illicitly to black market traders

A PETA spokesperson said: ‘When you see these animals performing what are uncomfortable and stressful tricks, know that they’re not doing it because they want to – they’re doing it because they’re afraid to, often subjected to electric shocks, cigarette burns or beatings if they do not obey in training'

A PETA spokesperson said: ‘When you see these animals performing what are uncomfortable and stressful tricks, know that they’re not doing it because they want to – they’re doing it because they’re afraid to, often subjected to electric shocks, cigarette burns or beatings if they do not obey in training.

‘Orangutans are also arboreal – they swing through trees – so the act of standing up on curved feet is hard enough for them.

‘Many of those animals who are disrespected and abused at these tacky tourist traps were also torn away from their mothers within days or weeks of birth.’