Officials delay check on ‘worryingly thin’ tiger as Phuket Zoo files to officially close

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

Wildlife officials say they are concerned about the condition of the ‘worryingly thin’ tiger, but will not inspect Phuket Zoo until tomorrow (Apr 17). Photo: Supplied via DNP

 

PHUKET:-- Phuket wildlife officials will not check on a ‘worryingly thin’ tiger being held at Phuket Zoo until tomorrow (Apr 17), despite police at the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division in Bangkok reporting complaints about the condition of the tiger to local wildlife officials yesterday.

 

The news comes as local wildlife officials also confirm that Phuket Zoo will file a formal request to close the tourist attraction, possibly only temporarily, blaming the economic situation caused by the COVID-19 fallout for the zoo’s inability to keep operating.

 

Piyawat Sukon, Chief of the Khao Phra Thaew Non-Hunting Area Conservation Centre in Thalang, confirmed to The Phuket News yesterday (Apr 15) that he already knew about the tiger from posts on social media.

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-officials-delay-check-on-tiger-worryingly-thin-as-phuket-zoo-files-to-officially-close-75724.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2020-04-16

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9 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Phuket Zoo will file a formal request to close the tourist attraction, possibly only temporarily, blaming the economic situation caused by the COVID-19 fallout for the zoo’s inability to keep operating.

Will someone claim the tiger's caught Covid-19, same as the big cats in the Bronx Zoo were reported?

 

Take your time, it may be dead by the time you get there...problem solved.

regards worgeordie      P S, its that thin can hardly see it.

 

Edited April 16, 20206 yr by worgeordie

Well, if Phuket Zoo is forced to close permanently that's one good thing to come out of this crisis, though the ongoing welfare of the animals is a concern.

So FOS...

PS,Hope the dolphin shows shut down.

 

"Plus the Phuket Zoo owner is not around to open it [the zoo], and the relevant officials also are not [available]. So we will go to Phuket Zoo this Friday (Apr 17) with relevant officials. It is better,” he added.

Mr Piyawat did not explain what he meant by “relevant officials”, as he is the leading official responsible for the welfare of all wildlife animals on the island.

Asked who is caring for the animals while the zoo is closed, Mr Piyawat said, “The workers are feeding them.”

However, Mr Piyawat did not explain how he knew this or why his officials were unable to gain access to inspect the animals at the zoo if staff were still at the zoo feeding the animals.

Who finds pleasure in looking at caged in animals who are clearly suffering ?

A Zoo - what is it good for ?

Close them all .

3 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

Who finds pleasure in looking at caged in animals who are clearly suffering ?

A Zoo - what is it good for ?

Close them all .

Children can always go to the Parliment to see species other than humans.

16 minutes ago, saakura said:

Children can always go to the Parliment to see species other than humans.

Are you suggesting they're sub-human?

 

Edited April 17, 20206 yr by bluesofa

Phuket Zoo files for closure. Animals left abandoned and starving – VIDEO

ByThe Thaiger

 

 

The owners of the Phuket Zoo, obviously bereft of paying customers at this time, appear to have walked away from their duty of care to the animals incarcerated in this island ‘tourist attraction’. We use the term loosely (read the Trip Advisor comments below). But now a video has been posted by a groups of friends who came across the zoo this week.

 

“Me and my mates went for a walk and came across an abandoned zoo still filled with animals. The owner has gone bankrupt and times are hard during this pandemic.”

 

A group of friends stumbled on the apparently abandoned Phuket Zoo and filmed an animal horror show. What they found was horrendous and has given some of them nightmares since their visit, according to the narration. They posted an edited version of the video they shot on April 16.

 

 

‘Minh Nguyen’, an Australian from Arncliffe, NSW, posted the video saying that they’ve now been reaching out and getting support behind their efforts to provide some immediate relief and hopefully save the abandoned animals in the zoo.

 

“They can die from starvation, they can die from stress, they’re disturbed, they’re living in shit conditions.

 

The came across a zoo staff member who told them…

 

“If you want to give the tiger food, give money, about 7,000 baht and that will buy 50 pieces of chicken – that would feed one tiger for one day.”

 

Later in the video Minh says that the owner admitted that they couldn’t afford to feed the animals and that the owner wanted to close the zoo down (unspecified if it’s either temporarily or forever).

 

 

Meanwhile, Phuket wildlife officials said they wouldn’t check on the tiger being caged up in Chalong’s Phuket Zoo until today.

Local wildlife officials confirmed to The Phuket News that Phuket Zoo will file a formal request to close the tourist attraction blaming the economic conditions forced on the attraction with lockdowns and zero tourism on the island at the moment. All animal tourism attractions, including Phuket Zoo, were ordered closed on March 28 by Phuket’s governor.

 

The Chief of the Khao Phra Thaew Non-Hunting Area Conservation Centre says they were already aware of the plight of the tiger from social media posts.

 

“I know from experts that tigers must not be too fat, but this tiger looks so thin. I am worried about the tiger and other animals while the zoo is closing.”

 

The Chief said that they weren’t able to go and check on the welfare of the tiger, or other animals at the zoo, because “the owner wasn’t around”. He then contradicted himself, in comments to Phuket News when he maintained that there were zoo staff were still there and feeding the animals. Indeed there appears to be staff available to let in officials in the posted video.

 

The Phuket Zoo has an infamous reputation in social media where people have shared posts of pathetic looking animals for years and urged people not to go. Sited next to the dolphinarium in Chalong, the two attractions have come under constant fire from animal rights supporters.

 

There has also been two high profile cases, that of Milo the Orangutan and Dumbo the baby elephant – both neglected or abused, and both now dead.

 

 

I have been witness to the capricious and unprofessional nature of the Phuket Zoo’s management in the past when investigating, mostly, the story of Milo the Orangutan. In that case we called, actually demanded, that Phuket wildlife officials come to see for themselves the horrible situation that Milo was in. 24 hours later, when the officials, and the local media circus, arrived at the zoo there had been a make-over turning the horror show into a wonderland. Everything had been repainted, the tatty gardens had been cleaned up, paths washed and all the staff dressed up in spanking-new shirts.

 

The local wildlife officials were taken aside, out of the view of the media, and ‘negotiations’ were made to sort out the complaints against the zoo. And everything was good again. Just 9 months ago the ‘zoo’ was again inspected by the same wildlife officials and allowed to continue trading.

 

But don’t believe us, read what the island’s visitors say about Phuket Zoo…

 

• This was unreal! As soon as we seen the tiger with the chain around it’s neck, we wanted to leave! They were basically just parading the animals so u wld get a photo with them for money! The animals were not looked after at al! – vicki86paul2016

 

• I have been visiting here 15 years ago, 8 years ago and now, I just want to say if you wish to throw your 44 euro per person + taxi cost, give that money someone on the street, I believe it will make you happy to see some child get happy and smile to you who really need that will make you happy than going and seeing 2 elephant, 2 monkey, some birds, small crocodile, no tiger, no fish, no sea turtle, disgusting place – ISML68

 

• Tigers seemed to be have been drugged, zookeepers would poke them with sticks just so people could take photos… Filthy living spaces for the animals with very limited water in all the enclosures – Belladellarco

 

• This is just scam. The cost of ticket is really out of mind for what you get. Shows was terrible, it was abandoned, no animals, nobody cares of them, aquarium was closed. The main attraction was in ruin and without animals – petk0vic

 

Please go ahead and read the 134 pages of reviews for this awful place.

 

Meanwhile please share the video about the tigers, and other remaining animals at the zoo, and bring more attention to this horrible place so that the animals can be moved to better lodgings and that it NEVER re-opens.

 

Minh has set up a GoFundMe page HERE.

 

Source: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/environment/phuket-zoo-files-for-closure-animals-left-abandoned-and-starving-video

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2020-04-17

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Even as the place is in its death throes they're still lying and trying to fleece people at the detriment of the poor animals.

19 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Will someone claim the tiger's caught Covid-19, same as the big cats in the Bronx Zoo were reported?

 

Let's hope they don't feed it a Thai horse

Why nobody cares animals ? Aren't they more important than people ?

 

 

 

At least people are not here because some idiots wanted to have kids. They have no choice and must be helped because they could not avoid being there, especially when they are prisonners.

 

 

Edited April 17, 20206 yr by gamesgplayemail

Thais welcome Australian tourist and they got bashing.. No justice.

reminds me of Surabaya zoo ,Indonesia,have the cages were empty,due to the animals dying,what where left where in a deplorable condition,it was extremely depressing day out.

1 hour ago, Borzandy said:

Thais welcome Australian tourist and they got bashing.. No justice.

How so?

Went there a few years ago terrible place.

A ludicrous and exploitive monkey show and a sea turtle in a tub about as big as a bathroom spa, these are the memories I took away.

Many amazing animals, that for years have been abused for the tourist industry, will die at this zoo and other alleged entertainment venues.   Hopefully the owners all sustain financial losses from which they can not recover.  It would be an excellent opportunity to reset, with government placing strong restrictions and minimum standards for animal treatment going forward.  Wishing thinking of course.

This zoo has had a terrible reputation for years..

 

I am somewhat puzzled as to why the veterinary authorities are not attempting to examine the tiger let alone all the other animals

Well last year if they hadn't tried to charged me double entrance,  i plus 5 thais would have helped there cash flow, what thais have not been taught at school is  " what goes around comes around" sorry for the animals, give them to KK zoo but i wont be going there either due to there entrance fee for westerners, will they never learn and boy oh boy they need expats now more than ever.

12 minutes ago, Almer said:

Well last year if they hadn't tried to charged me double entrance,  i plus 5 thais would have helped there cash flow, what thais have not been taught at school is  " what goes around comes around" sorry for the animals, give them to KK zoo but i wont be going there either due to there entrance fee for westerners, will they never learn and boy oh boy they need expats now more than ever.

'they need expats now more than ever.' Probably to feed to the animals?

This is typical of the complete shyster <deleted> that occupy this <deleted>hole and prey on toursts!

"came across a zoo staff member who told them…  “If you want to give the tiger food, give money, about 7,000 baht and that will buy 50 pieces of chicken – that would feed one tiger for one day.”"

 

7,000 Baht per day to feed one tiger?  Yeah, right!  I am sure that the idiot of a owner used to spend that much per day on a single tiger!  They obviously think we just fell out of the trees like they have!

 

According to this <deleted>, a piece of chicken costs 120 Baht and the tiger needs 50 of them a day?  Maybe he meant Ostrich!

 

I am so sick of these complete low lifes and take no small pleasure in the fact that their badly abused gravy train has derailed, at least for a while! 

 

I personally would quite like to see the owner and so-called zoo-keeprs being fed to the tiger!

24 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

'they need expats now more than ever.' Probably to feed to the animals?

E

 

25 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

'they need expats now more than ever.' Probably to feed to the animals?

Don't joke

Here's a thought, feed the zoo owners to the starving animals.

It is only fair to reverse the pain and suffering

Thai should not be allowed to own and raise any animals. Animals could become as smart at Thai kids...

 

 

20 minutes ago, gamesgplayemail said:

Thai should not be allowed to own and raise any animals. Animals could become as smart at Thai kids...

 

 

And idiots like you shouldn't be allowed to breed let alone be part of the gene pool...

2 minutes ago, beechbum said:

And idiots like you shouldn't be allowed to breed let alone be part of the gene pool...

 

are you Thai ? sorry but it seems.

poor kids.

 

 

Here's a suggestion, although those who "LOVE" Soi dogs will get upset.  Euthanise the dogs and feed them to the tigers.  Two problems solved.  That way no chickens have to die and the zoo saves 7000 Baht a day for each tiger.

'nuf sed.

On 4/17/2020 at 5:56 PM, saminoz said:

"came across a zoo staff member who told them…  “If you want to give the tiger food, give money, about 7,000 baht and that will buy 50 pieces of chicken – that would feed one tiger for one day.”"

 

7,000 Baht per day to feed one tiger?  Yeah, right!  I am sure that the idiot of a owner used to spend that much per day on a single tiger!  They obviously think we just fell out of the trees like they have!"

"...that would feed one tiger for one day

Neither the zoo staff, nor the owner, said that, it was the Australian posting the video making a wild guess.

16 hours ago, The Word said:

"...that would feed one tiger for one day

Neither the zoo staff, nor the owner, said that, it was the Australian posting the video making a wild guess.

Duh!  ,the bit about feeding one tiger for one day was within the parentheses, along with the rest of the quote!  So, where and why would you change the reporting to suit your own version of the story?

For someone who has named himself "The Word", you seem to have a fragile grasp on how words are used and the punctuation associated with them!

????

On 4/19/2020 at 5:28 AM, wotsdermatter said:

Here's a suggestion, although those who "LOVE" Soi dogs will get upset.  Euthanise the dogs and feed them to the tigers.  Two problems solved.  That way no chickens have to die and the zoo saves 7000 Baht a day for each tiger.

'nuf sed.

 

 

I was thinking to do this with old grumpy foreigners...