Samui gibbon abuse sparks outrage

By The Nation

 

 

A foreign resident on Koh Samui has exposed that a baby gibbon was abused on a popular beach, resulting in an uproar among expats on Facebook.

 

The expat, Arkadiy Kulev on Facebook, posted a video on the Samui Rent, Buy and Sell for Free page showing a Thai man letting tourists pay to hold a baby gibbon for photos.

 

"Endangered gibbon used to entertain tourists on Chaweng Beach in Koh Samui, Thailand," Kulev posted.

 

"Sadly, these captured gibbons have a very short ‘working life’. When they get to age six or seven, they develop canine teeth and often become more aggressive. Once they are no longer cute and compliant, many are killed.

 

"Also gibbons do not breed in captivity. Which means that this baby gibbon was poached from the wild or bought on the black market.

 

"This is the same beach where a slow loris was found with teeth ripped out so tourists could take selfies in 2016," the post added.

 

Kulev also urged expats to write to the Surat Thani National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Office to demand action.

 

A Thai resident, Prakit Kingjampa, posted that he reported the incident to the tourist and Samui police several times but no action was taken.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30350787

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-25

 

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

a Thai man letting tourists pay to hold a baby gibbon for photos.

They'll do anything for a few baht.

This has been going on for the 30+ years I lived in Thailand and nobody does anything.

I saw a documentary once where they showed that to capture a baby gibbon the mother had to be killed. When she fell from the tree they could take the baby.

 

There should be very harsh punishments for these people. The tourists are just as guilty. If they didn't take photos, then there would be no need to capture the gibbons.

 

 

Ignorant tourists feeding the market.

Good news everyone. DNP (https://www.facebook.com/dmca4/) just responded that 2 people were arrested. 3 gibbons were found with them. Thank you for spreading the information. With your help it took the government less than 24 hours to respond and arrest the offenders!!!

 

The local police who were aware and were taken care of to ignore the activity  continue on the job.

DNP just sent the photos from the arrest.

Well done and congratulations

They should fine the guy 100.000 baht for smoking on the beach

17 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

Ignorant tourists feeding the market.

Yes, ignorant and I was the same 30 years ago on my first trip to Thailand and I got my picture with a slow loris on Pattaya Walking Street. 

Video of the arrest and gibbons being saved:

 

Two arrested on Koh Samui, three gibbons rescued

By The Nation

 

Photos from Samui “Rent

 

Samui police have arrested two men and seized three gibbons after a clip showing a man letting foreign tourists take photos with the gibbons in exchange for money led to an outpouring of anger on Facebook.

 

Ruangwit Aolueknoi, 23, and Ismail Thalang, 35, were arrested at their rented house in Tambon Borphud at 5pm Wednesday.

 

Pol Col Thongchana Harnkittikanchana, acting Borphud police chief, ordered an investigation after an expatriate, Arkadil Kulev, posted a clip on the Samui “Rent & Buy & Sell For Free” Facebook group late Tuesday night.

 

 

The clip showed one of the suspects approaching foreign tourists and offering to let them hold and cuddle the gibbons for a photo in exchange for a fee of Bt100 to Bt200, prompting many people to cry foul on the Facebook page.

 

Two gibbons were found in a cage at Ruangwit's house and the other was seized from Ismail.

 

Ismail admitted that he was the man in the clip, which was shot two days before the arrest. He said he bought the gibbons from a man in Ranong.

 

The two men have been charged with having protected wild animals in their possession without a license. The three gibbons were given to national park officials who will take charge of caring for them.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30350848

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-26

I'm wondering how many tourists make that bad game with, here is a work for Big Joke...

 

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

photos with the gibbons in exchange for money led to an outpouring of anger on Facebook

Do they keep it in a jar?

 

Looks like the army is not happy with the police. So they are now patrolling Chaweng beach themselves.

 

Good work @ethaniel.?

well done to the tourist and the thai for having balls to try and help the voiceless

 

All animal abusers should have instant 20 year jail and 2 million baht fine as well as being in a locked room with a nice heavy guy and a baseball bat

 

i know its for now a dream but it would reduce drastically the Animal abuse

 

There can be no fairness anymore in protecting the voiceless