Kao Keow Open Zoo

[denny1000]

^{Recently we went to spend half a day at this zoo. It was a total disaster.}

^{First we encountered lines of buses filled with grade school children. Thousands poured into the zoo.}

^{It is the dry season so all the grass was brown and the trees didn't look very nice. Many cages were}

^{empty of animals and the bird enclousure was empty and closed to the public.}

^{We walked up a steep flight of many stairs to see chimps and orangs. None in sight. They were working on the grounds.}

^{Why not put a sign at the bottom of the stairs?}

^{Seems every year we go it gets worse at that zoo.}

[kiakaha]

Is there something I'm missing in the fine print

[Rimmer]

School children at a zoo what ever next? No grass in the dry season and ugly trees, no signs on the steps, suspect this could be because this is Thailand and not whipsnade.

Err do you ever get feelings about being insignificant?

[LennyW]

Kao Keow Open Zoo has a big student learning programme, quite a lot of students go there as part of their education.

Did you never go to the zoo as a kid?

[kriswillems]

If you are a foreigner you paid 100 baht to enter, which is a bargain considering the size of the zoo. I always wonder how they manage to survive. This zoo is focussed on Thai children. I go there myself with our baby. The other zoo's and gardens that are promoted in Pattaya charge much more and they are much smaller. Also the living conditions of the animals are much worse there. And these very commercial zoo's and gardens get almost only farang visitors.

If you don't need to see another tiger, crocodile or elephant show, kao khiaw is an excellent place to go to.

[Scott]

I haven't been there for several years, but it was a disaster when I was there. Fortunately, no people,but also no animals to speak of. It was a nice place (that day) to walk around, but that was about it.

[chakatee]

About every 2 weeks, our little one just has to go there (feed the hippo's ).

She doesn't need too nag for this very long as I also like the place myself.

Wide area, proximity of animals, not-commercial (cheap food, drinks, elephant rides, ...), no touting with drugged animals

And at some viewpoints, look at the mountains surrounding you, just great.

70thb for daddy (thai license), little missie goes in for free until she will be 135cm (will she ever? ). For 300 you get to ride in a golfcar for 2 hours.

As for the brown grass, actually as I was driving out yesterday around 6pm, sprinklers were all over the place.

As for the signage, it is indeed often only in Thai but then again this isn't a farang-catering zoo which charges 350thb for some small-caged animals.

Anyway, if you have children, please do never allow them to go on a field trip because they might disturb some nitwit

[kriswillems]

I haven't been there for several years, but it was a disaster when I was there. Fortunately, no people,but also no animals to speak of. It was a nice place (that day) to walk around, but that was about it.

I don't know when you went there, but I think the number of different kinds of animals is bigger than any other (and more expensive) zoo or garden in Chonburi (including Pattaya). I also think Dusit zoo in BKK has less different kinds of animals.

The animals are are in big cages and you need a while to spot them. I think that's a good thing. The area is also very big (you really can't go around by foot) so it looks empty and very quiet. I also believe that is good.

I've seen tigers in noong nooch garden that are in a cages so small I wouldn't even put a dog in it. I don't like any of the tourist attractions that are promoted in Pattaya. None offers reasonable value for your money. I am also bored looking at belly dancing elephants, hypnotized crocodiles, racing pigs and tigers that play with fire.

Children should go to a zoo to learn about animals, and as far as I know a normal elephants don't play football. I think khao khiaw is a really nice place for children. They have a big camping ground inside the zoo and they organize a night safari. For children camping in the zoo between all those animals, nature and mountains is a real adventure.

[jdinasia]

I've only been twice during the day and twice at night in the past 6 years. I enjoyed every trip.

It is well maintained, quite large, fairly priced and everyone in each group has enjoyed the trip. (May check it out in the next few days since I haven't been in awhile and I am craving a bike trip!)

[chickenslegs]

^{Recently we went to spend half a day at this zoo. It was a total disaster.}

^{First we encountered lines of buses filled with grade school children. Thousands poured into the zoo.}

^{It is the dry season so all the grass was brown and the trees didn't look very nice. Many cages were}

^{empty of animals and the bird enclousure was empty and closed to the public.}

^{We walked up a steep flight of many stairs to see chimps and orangs. None in sight. They were working on the grounds.}

^{Why not put a sign at the bottom of the stairs?}

^{Seems every year we go it gets worse at that zoo.}

It's cruel how they put those primates to work.

Edited February 8, 2009 by chickenslegs

[thaimate]

About every 2 weeks, our little one just has to go there (feed the hippo's ).

She doesn't need too nag for this very long as I also like the place myself.

Wide area, proximity of animals, not-commercial (cheap food, drinks, elephant rides, ...), no touting with drugged animals

And at some viewpoints, look at the mountains surrounding you, just great.

70thb for daddy (thai license), little missie goes in for free until she will be 135cm (will she ever? ). For 300 you get to ride in a golfcar for 2 hours.

As for the brown grass, actually as I was driving out yesterday around 6pm, sprinklers were all over the place.

As for the signage, it is indeed often only in Thai but then again this isn't a farang-catering zoo which charges 350thb for some small-caged animals.

Anyway, if you have children, please do never allow them to go on a field trip because they might disturb some nitwit

totally agree ,great day for 70bt my son loves it so do we. some people justhave to moan.

[Freddie_fly]

When I lived in Banglamung I went many times, mainly because when I showed my Thai Driving licence I got the Thai rate, I always found this to be one of the better Zoo's in Thailand, most of the larger animals have space to move and the big cat enclosures were good for this country.

Only thing that ever really pissed me off was the farang who couldnt read the signs saying 'these animals have special dietary needs, please do not feed them".

Countless times I saw dumb farang feeding these animals with whatever they had bought, I guess English/Thai were unknown to them.

regards

Freddie

[denny1000]

To the retarded folks who didn't like my post about the conditions at the kK open zoo.

I never mentioned money. Never complained about cost. So don't put words in my mouth.

I have been to zoos around the world. I know how to compare them. Are you saying that its cheap therefore don't expect much there?

The staff informed my Thai friend that 20 % of the staff had been let go. Therefore upkeep on the grounds was lacking.

When first opened, the big cat exhibit was quite nice. Now they added dreadful steel bars, and electric fences. Making viewing difficult and just plain no fun.

I worked with big cats for 20 years before coming to Thailand.

At my age, walking up many flights of stairs to find empty compounds (apes) was no fun believe me. Just Thai ineptitude.

Maybe some day it will improve at this formally nice zoo. Amen.

[KhaoNiaw]

We've been a number of times over the last few years. I reckon they're doing a pretty good job of developing and improving the place. In my view, they make a real effort to improve conditions for the animals.

The last time was a couple of months ago and the chimp and orang enclosures were new for us. It was in the full heat of the day and the animals were hanging out in the shade in a corner so you didn't get much of a view of them, but they were up there. Nice enclosures with plenty of space for them. The bird enclosure and the night house were closed for redevelopment but there was work obviously going on and I assume they will reopen with improvements.

Positive impressions for me overall.