British explorer uncovers shocking truth at abandoned Phuket Zoo (video)

[webfact]

Photo courtesy of YouTube/SeanKing5150 via Lad Bible

 

b Puntid Tantivangphaisal

A British explorer got more than he bargained for during a visit to Thailand’s abandoned Phuket Zoo, uncovering a hidden and haunting secret that left him and his viewers stunned.

 

British content creator Sean King, known for exploring deserted attractions on his YouTube channel @SeanKing5150, ventured into the defunct zoo. What he found was both extraordinary and deeply troubling.

“I thought the animals had been rescued.”

 

King referenced reports that the zoo, which closed in 2021 due to financial woes during the pandemic, had relocated its remaining wildlife to sanctuaries. However, his unsettling footage revealed otherwise.

Wandering through overgrown grounds and crumbling structures, King stumbled upon an ominous pool. Peering into the murky water, the daring explorer realised he wasn’t alone.

 

“No way…mate, they are still in here. Nine, 10, 11…12 crocodiles. You’re having a laugh. Get them out of here!”

The crocs weren’t the only remnants of the zoo’s controversial past. Further exploration revealed a lone tiger and a herd of deer, which the British man suspected were being fed.

“There’s an icebox with sausages in it. This is beyond belief. Phuket Zoo was awful when it was open, and now it’s worse.”

Phuket Zoo, once notorious for alleged animal mistreatment and labelled “hell on Earth for animals” by PETA, made headlines in 2021 when a major rescue operation relocated 11 tigers to a sanctuary, marking Thailand’s largest-ever single placement of tigers, reported LADbible.

 

Sean’s footage, described as “heartbreaking” by viewers, has reignited calls for accountability.

“I hope someone who can help sees this.”

 

“Sometimes you just gotta say, ‘Phuket, I’m going in!’”

 

ORIGINAL STORY: Phuket Zoo to close down following Covid-19 economic destruction

 

Phuket Zoo is the latest casualty of Covid-19 restrictions’ devastation on the island province’s tourism economy. The zoo is closing down, and all its animals have been sent to new homes, according to the owner. The zoo’s owner and operator, 42 year old Suriya Tanthaweewong, told The Phuket News this week that the zoo started to close when the pandemic broke out in 2020, even though the zoo had brought joy to animal lovers for over 2 decades.

 

“Phuket Zoo had been in operation since 1996. We started to close in 2020. We could not bear the cost because there was no income from tourists coming in.”

 

When asked what he would like Phuket Zoo to be remembered for, Suriya said he didn’t want to talk about the past. He said, “Let’s just adjust to the current situation”.

 

The Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand is now caring for 11 tigers from the zoo, after the foundation prepared enclosures for them. WFFT has also taken in black bears from Phuket Zoo, however, it needs funding to build the bears enclosures. Each enclosure will cost around 14,000 euros, or nearly 520,000 baht. People who would like to help the WFFT build bear enclosures can click on their website HERE.

 

This news comes after Thailand’s wildlife department has taken a massive cut this year. While the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation used to receive 80 million baht each year to care for animals, this year, the funding wildly plummeted to 30 million baht due to a government cut.

 

With Thailand’s wildlife department struggling and zoos and animal rescue foundations lacking in funds, who knows what the future of Thailand’s animals holds.

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2025-01-17

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

This news comes after Thailand’s wildlife department has taken a massive cut this year. While the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation used to receive 80 million baht each year to care for animals, this year, the funding wildly plummeted to 30 million baht due to a government cut.

 

This is terrible.

Just $2.3 million USD down to less than $1 million.

And instead of sorting out the country's budgets, the MP's fight and bicker with each other.

Always after 'their cut'.

 

How much are those useless submarines again?

[Justanotherone]

soon in jail for trespassing ?

[Thingamabob]

The cruel way many Thais treat animals is shocking given that Thailand is supposed to be a Buddhist country.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“Sometimes you just gotta say, ‘Phuket, I’m going in!’”

Many say "I'm getting out"

[digger70]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

The cruel way many Thais treat animals is shocking given that Thailand is supposed to be a Buddhist country.

Yes ,Suppose to be that's right but they Ain;t .

One can see that every day Anywhere  Mistreated neglected Dogs /cats/Horses /birds you name it .

[proton]

I'm trying not to watch these Thai based vloggers, every arrival seems to start one, and they are almost all total crap trying to earn enough off them to pay the rent. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

I hope he's got a permit to film all these videos as Thais don't like folk exposing their dirty little secrets online.

[PJ71]

1 hour ago, proton said:

I'm trying not to watch these Thai based vloggers, every arrival seems to start one, and they are almost all total crap trying to earn enough off them to pay the rent. 

Totally agree, they're a menace and everywhere you go these days - total scumbags.

[PETERTHEEATER]

'There's an icebox with sausages in it'

🤔

[Grumpy one]

12 crocs all alone in a pool

The local mafia now has an easy way to get rid of a few bodies

 

[Deerculler]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Photo courtesy of YouTube/SeanKing5150 via Lad Bible

 

b Puntid Tantivangphaisal

A British explorer got more than he bargained for during a visit to Thailand’s abandoned Phuket Zoo, uncovering a hidden and haunting secret that left him and his viewers stunned.

 

British content creator Sean King, known for exploring deserted attractions on his YouTube channel @SeanKing5150, ventured into the defunct zoo. What he found was both extraordinary and deeply troubling.

“I thought the animals had been rescued.”

 

King referenced reports that the zoo, which closed in 2021 due to financial woes during the pandemic, had relocated its remaining wildlife to sanctuaries. However, his unsettling footage revealed otherwise.

Wandering through overgrown grounds and crumbling structures, King stumbled upon an ominous pool. Peering into the murky water, the daring explorer realised he wasn’t alone.

 

“No way…mate, they are still in here. Nine, 10, 11…12 crocodiles. You’re having a laugh. Get them out of here!”

The crocs weren’t the only remnants of the zoo’s controversial past. Further exploration revealed a lone tiger and a herd of deer, which the British man suspected were being fed.

“There’s an icebox with sausages in it. This is beyond belief. Phuket Zoo was awful when it was open, and now it’s worse.”

 

Phuket Zoo, once notorious for alleged animal mistreatment and labelled “hell on Earth for animals” by PETA, made headlines in 2021 when a major rescue operation relocated 11 tigers to a sanctuary, marking Thailand’s largest-ever single placement of tigers, reported LADbible.

 

Sean’s footage, described as “heartbreaking” by viewers, has reignited calls for accountability.

“I hope someone who can help sees this.”

 

“Sometimes you just gotta say, ‘Phuket, I’m going in!’”

 

ORIGINAL STORY: Phuket Zoo to close down following Covid-19 economic destruction

 

Phuket Zoo is the latest casualty of Covid-19 restrictions’ devastation on the island province’s tourism economy. The zoo is closing down, and all its animals have been sent to new homes, according to the owner. The zoo’s owner and operator, 42 year old Suriya Tanthaweewong, told The Phuket News this week that the zoo started to close when the pandemic broke out in 2020, even though the zoo had brought joy to animal lovers for over 2 decades.

 

“Phuket Zoo had been in operation since 1996. We started to close in 2020. We could not bear the cost because there was no income from tourists coming in.”

 

When asked what he would like Phuket Zoo to be remembered for, Suriya said he didn’t want to talk about the past. He said, “Let’s just adjust to the current situation”.

 

The Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand is now caring for 11 tigers from the zoo, after the foundation prepared enclosures for them. WFFT has also taken in black bears from Phuket Zoo, however, it needs funding to build the bears enclosures. Each enclosure will cost around 14,000 euros, or nearly 520,000 baht. People who would like to help the WFFT build bear enclosures can click on their website HERE.

 

This news comes after Thailand’s wildlife department has taken a massive cut this year. While the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation used to receive 80 million baht each year to care for animals, this year, the funding wildly plummeted to 30 million baht due to a government cut.

 

With Thailand’s wildlife department struggling and zoos and animal rescue foundations lacking in funds, who knows what the future of Thailand’s animals holds.

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2025-01-17

 

 

The usual foul mouth Aussie.

 

[Phillip9]

What a loser.  That guy is an embarrassment to all farangs.   He looks and sounds like he lives in that abandoned zoo.

[BangkokReady]

Kind of interesting, but it did feel a little like watching a junkie ransacking a squat.  He could be a little more respectful.

[Denim]

That video is a year old at least.

[BangkokReady]

6 hours ago, Justanotherone said:

soon in jail for trespassing ?

 

In part two, a security guard takes his keys and he says he's wating for the police to come.  He even took a crocodile head that he found in there.  He didn't show the interaction, but he put a message up at the end saying everything was OK.  The security guard wasn't too happy, though.

[This Guy]

On his Youtube page he states the security guard "seems to be under the influence of yaba" what a defamatory comment! He's doing his job, which maybe includes feeding and watering the remaining animals. When the police are called his voice changes noticeably from "hard man" to that of a whining child "please don't" and "I didn't know, I didn't know" yes you did know, so man up. Not to mention the crocodile head he had lifted. Vloggers have become a scourge in Thailand.

[AboutThaim]

1 hour ago, Deerculler said:

The usual foul mouth Aussie.

 

Do you have trouble reading?

[Andre0720]

4 hours ago, digger70 said:

Yes ,Suppose to be that's right but they Ain;t .

One can see that every day Anywhere  Mistreated neglected Dogs /cats/Horses /birds you name it .

Oh yes Buddhism.

And mistreated wives, girlfriends, children, so many of these children forgotten in the care of a grandmother...

[phetphet]

That poor Tiger must be going crazy.

[NoDisplayName]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Wandering through overgrown grounds and crumbling structures, King stumbled

 

Bright fellow.

 

Live streams his trespassing for the benefit of the RTP.

[Phillip9]

35 minutes ago, AboutThaim said:

2 hours ago, Deerculler said:

The usual foul mouth Aussie.

 

Do you have trouble reading?

 

He sounds like an Aussie.  I'm guessing the Thaiger got it wrong when they said he is British.....

[chondan]

one word vocabulary

[Briggsy]

On 1/17/2025 at 11:41 AM, Justanotherone said:

soon in jail for trespassing ?

and defamation!

[DonniePeverley]

This is an old video. 

[roo860]

On 1/17/2025 at 7:31 PM, Phillip9 said:

 

He sounds like an Aussie.  I'm guessing the Thaiger got it wrong when they said he is British.....

He's a Brit from Norwich, UK

[josephbloggs]

On 1/17/2025 at 5:07 PM, Deerculler said:

The usual foul mouth Aussie.

 

He's not Australian.

And were you offended by the words? Not offended by what he found?

[josephbloggs]

On 1/17/2025 at 7:31 PM, Phillip9 said:

 

He sounds like an Aussie.  I'm guessing the Thaiger got it wrong when they said he is British.....

He doesn't sound anything like an Aussie.