The Daily Mail pictured the 33 year-old American singer and actress (otherwise known as Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter) going for a ride on a baby elephant during a Christmas break in Thailand.

Beyoncé, once of the R&B girl band Destiny’s Child, has been taking in the sights around Phuket with husband Jay Z and their daughter Blue Ivy

The Mail described the “Drunk In Love hitmaker, wearing a backless multi-coloured playsuit and a garland of yellow flowers, gleefully raised her hands in the air as she rode along. Clearly in an adventurous mood, the star ... also had her face painted yellow and black by locals”.

Never slow to field a fast ball, Intrepid Travel, which has taken a stance against elephant riding and claims to be the first travel firm to end elephant rides, tweeted “Hi @Beyoncé! We don't want to ruin your vacay, but elephant rides are not fun for elephants.”

Subsequent tweets included @mrkistic retorting “you say that now but it sure took you a while to realise that didn't it?” To which Intrepid replied “Yes - but it's a complex issue. We supported @movetheworldAU research before becoming 1st travel co to end elephant rides”

The tour firm Experience NL which claims “an unbounded passion for Newfoundland & Labrador” chipped in with the thought that it was “Almost Sure She Doesn't Give A S@#t”.

Back in May, Intrepid wrote a detailed blog with the title ‘Why we no longer ride elephants’ (http://bit.ly/1sRQB9s ), saying that its staff and travellers “are a very passionate lot; unafraid to speak up about ethical and social justice issues they may be confronted with during their travels”.