Swedish Man Attacked By Tiger During Visit To Tiger Temple Outside Bangkok

[PoorSucker]

There are only 8 words that cause me any concern when reading this article.

"climbed into a restricted area with nine tigers"

From these words we can deduct that this man made the decision to cross a physical barrier to get to these tigers. Has he just come from Disney World?

Yes , directly from Pattis.

[craigt3365]

I saw this on TV a few months ago. Tourists are allowed to walk among the tigers. IMHO, this is a crazy thing to do. But, apparently, lots of people do it. I've had several friends who have been bitten/attacked by their own pet dogs. These cats are a bit more dangerous...and not pets for sure...

[xen]

Just related this story to my wife.

We've never been here, so I can't know if what she says is 100% true. However, she reckons Thai people are allowed in with the tigers anytime, but farang are only allowed in after lunch / on afternoons!!

Stunning! Presumably, when the tigers are full after the lunch feed, and lazy in the heat of the day, it's okay for us. Meanwhile, Thais can risk it at any time!

Is this the unique instance where farang are treated better than Thais??

There is perhaps a little bit of truth in this as i have been told that the crocidiles at a famous Australian crocidile show only performed after having a full meal so they were a lot more sluggish and sleepy than performing on a empty stomach. The bit about Thai and falung would make no difference tho as far as i can see.

[Crushdepth]

Put him back in with the tigers. What a bonehead.

[JackSterling]

We have a place called TIGER KINGDOM located in a area call MAE RIM just north of CHIANG MAI... I saw these creatures from about 15 feet away and not up close and personal..as others were so daringly doing during session a photo shoot. These are wild animals for sure.. do not be fooled by monks, punks, or drunks...a wild creature is just that.. remove their teeth, their nails (that very hard substance at the end of each toe) and maybe then I will go play with one..

[Mousehound]

I know that some tigers enjoy Swedes with their meat and potatos.

Clasic!!! LOL

[HOOD Robin]

There are only 8 words that cause me any concern when reading this article.

"climbed into a restricted area with nine tigers"

From these words we can deduct that this man made the decision to cross a physical barrier to get to these tigers. Has he just come from Disney World?

Definately worth a nomination for the Darwin award.

AND the biggest fool on earth ! Maybe one of those many drunk Scandinavians who think, when they arrive in Thailand, this is their playground, can do what they want and nothing can happen.... All the past 20 years i've seen TOO many of them in Pattaya and other places.... no words for it !

[jitenshaman]

I saw this on TV a few months ago. Tourists are allowed to walk among the tigers. IMHO, this is a crazy thing to do. But, apparently, lots of people do it. I've had several friends who have been bitten/attacked by their own pet dogs. These cats are a bit more dangerous...and not pets for sure...

This place has been in the news quite a bit over the past year or two. It initially got good reports, but there have been many accusations of druggings and mistreatment (of the tigers), not to mention that the place now smacks of "making a fast baht." Not surprised other incidences like this haven't happened, and am sure more will occur given the nature of the enterprise.

[chmiroau]

With it being near xmas, the tiger thought dinner had arrived, Normally these wild fantastic cats, are well behaved, and friendly.This is what the report implied==== They can never be fully domesticated, the biggest of the cat family, Like our snake debate a week ago, they are extreemly dangerous. With a tour guide as well, its take your chance time again.

Sorry, there is something wrong with your thinking here. Maybe your thinking has come from listening to people that believe what you have stated about big cats never being able to be domesticated.

This is not exactly true. Big cats are able to be domesticated, but with this comes a problem. Big cats are big cats, and they play like big cats. I have spent much time with small and large tigers. As a cat lover I am fully aware that when cats play, they play rough.

The news report states that the tourist jumped the fence into the tigers cage. If this was at the Tiger Temple near Kachanaburi, then after the hands on experience there is a special show where the monks play rough with the tigers, this is not safe for the general public to be part of and that is why they put up the fence.

These tigers were just playing, and as already said they play rough. They do have the strength to have done much much more damage, and could have easily killed and eaten the tourist, but as they were just playing and are domesticated they just bit. This was enough for some damage to have occured, and if the tourist had stayed on the right side of the fence it wouldnt have happened.

Tigers can be domesticated, but they are big cats and when they play they have so much power that they can hurt us feble humans, that is why to play with these beautiful creatures, you really really have to know exactly what you are doing or you will get hurt. The same can be said of a small child playing with a domestic house cat.

[LindsayEarle]

I've been to this place tons of times. Just a couple weeks ago, in fact. There isn't any normal place you could "climb into". Sounds like he was a normal visitor and a tiger decided to play with him. It seems the tiger hardly bit him and that he's okay. If that tiger attacked him. he'd look and sound a lot different, I'd imagine...

[coma]

Erik the Viking But lucky, definitely.

Erik the Idiot ! IMO

Restricted areas are just that. Restricted. And for good reason when it come to the large, beautiful creatures like the Bengal Tiger.

[newermonkey]

I would say the Abbot would be responsible for allowing people near the Tigers, some people have the misconception that the Tigers wont attack because of some strange karma from being in the care of the monks, but these are not "Buddhist Tigers" they are semi domesticated natural born killers.

Everyone who goes near these animals is putting themselves in serious risk. The monks who actually feed them and keep them content are of course are in slightly less danger, until they forget a feed time or the Tiger is in a bad mood.

An anti Tetanus jab and a broad spetrum antibiotic and some pain killers is all he will need.

But lets hope this rings the alarm bells and puts a stop to people keeping animals that only belong in the wild.

:jap:

[Trentham]

I got bitten by a black bear up in Bo Klua in Nan province. It was jealous of the other one that was licking me. ha ha ha.

[keymaker]

Another idiot farang.

Thai people should be allowed to ban such stupid tourists!

[Wellington]

This guy is an idiot! What does he not understand about the word "restricted"! This is not Stockholm City Hall where you are free to take a pee without restriction. I thought that the level of education was high in Sweden, but it appears that this idiot did not learn to read!!!!! These Tigers are very friendly, but they are wild animals. He is lucky that he did not take a trip to the next life!!!!!

"Learn to read" ??

Maybe the signs were in Thai and English and he just might have been a Swede who doesn't speak English.

[sydneyjed]

I visited the one at MAE RIM Jack in September .they charge to go in and actually be with the tigers and do the photo shoot thing..My better half went in with the cubs and I decided it would be the macho thing to go in with the adult tigers...I started to get second thoughts when seeing them close up but went in anyway surrounded by three thai keepers.The paws on these cats are bloody massive and one swipe I reckon would just about take your guts out...the guy is lucky as sounds like it may just have been just an affectionate playful' love bite' he experienced!

[TAWP]

Swedes - The Other White Meat

[zappalot]

everyone with a little bit of brain left should know that a tiger is not a pet.

AND that these places are completely unnatural.

its not only stupid what he did - just the visit is a stupid idea.

from me no pity at all for brainless people...

[Deeral]

THere have been several articles voicing concern over this place - which is in breach of many international and national laws on animal welfare and conservation.safety there is a real issue and there have been injuries before as well as rumours of cover-ups.

The Tiger Temple at Kanchanaburi is operating in a murky quasi-legal haze. It was officially closed or taken over by the authorities about 6 years ago, but is still allowed to operate and has an apparently illegal breeding program.

DNA test results have conveniently been shoved under the carpet and although the place is a shambles and littered with incomplete or derelict buildings - the temple claims to have no money - they still continue to breed tigers.

They perpetuate a myth about how they were started. They make false claims to having conservation aims.

The animals are poorly housed - out of sight.

They claim to be building a new -but actually inadequate - enclosure but after nearly 10 years they haven't finished it.

They have registered the land next door as a Zoo - they are not.

how long can this shady and inappropriate establishment be allowed to continue untouched by concerns of animal welfare and conservation?

If you want t know more about the place here are some web sites

Facebook site.

http://www.facebook....id=293971072672

Tiger Temple Truths web site

http://www.tigertempletruths.org/

careforthewild –

Q & A.....

http://www.careforth...90&section=Home

Organisations supporting Care forThe Wild.....

http://www.careforth...23&section=Home

The FULL REPORT

http://www.cwiftp.co...8_final_v11.pdf

National Geographic.

http://news.national...r-temple_2.html

http://www.kanchanab...iyok.html#tiger

Read the Careforthewild report -http://www.careforth...90&section=Home - it is endorsed by over 30 Wildlife Agencies.

http://www.ethicaltr...ory.php?id=1101

http://www.tigertemple.co.uk/

http://thaiwildorchi...emple-abuse.htm

.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Deeral

[Woolybully]

It is a crime to the tigers and nature to keep doped tigers at a place. A few petrol stations also had tigers with cut nails , cut tendenced so they could not jump, castrated etc.

These people represent the fantastic way of life of Buddhism. I feel sorry for the Swede. The ones bitten should be the monks and those who kill the tigersand bears for so called sex drive medicine.

[jayjay0]

Is it true that the tigers that are presented to tourists to play with are sedated using drugs so that they appear calm and friendly? If so, maybe this guy went to the restricted area where the tigers had not been sedated and were therefore not suitable for tourists to play with.

Yes they are sedated for presentation to tourists.

But the article clearly states he climbed a fence to get into a restricted area.

I am surprised the Swedish Embassy is not trying to get them to drop the word Swedish. How dumb can you get?

[jayjay0]

climbed into a restricted area

our guide had to hit it to get it off me

Did the guide "climb" into this area with him and the entire group or just let him 'climb" in by himself? Could be the guide didn't know he "climbed" into this area until he heard the attack and then the guides amazing speed and agility allowed him to 'climb" into this same area and beat the tiger off the tourist before he could any real damage.

Sounds like this article is clearly geared to blame the farang and make the Thai tour guide the hero. Maybe this is the case but find it interesting they don't mention what he "climbed" to get in this area or if he required stitches or was even take to the hospital or any mention of if any of the Monks are trained to care for tigers and if not why are they.

And doesn't it require numerous very painful shots to the stomach over a number of days or weeks to prevent possible rabies? While technically this would be "medication" the wording makes it sounds like the guy just needs to pop a few pills. But maybe I am wrong and now there are pills available to prevent rabies. Although neither makes any sense since they know the animal that did this and the animal could easily be tested for rabies as they always do, when the animal is available, instead of putting a person through unneeded painful and costly injections.

Just seems to me this story doesn't add up and a Google news search couldn't find any other reports but the one linked here.

A lot of questions. The article was in a Swedish newspaper. He brags about being in with nine Tigers and being attacked and not afraid. Some what self serving. Probably a Swedish maid a night for him.

As for the article it is proof positive that the Nation is not the only inept news paper in the world. In fact it makes them look good.

[jayjay0]

We have a place called TIGER KINGDOM located in a area call MAE RIM just north of CHIANG MAI... I saw these creatures from about 15 feet away and not up close and personal..as others were so daringly doing during session a photo shoot. These are wild animals for sure.. do not be fooled by monks, punks, or drunks...a wild creature is just that.. remove their teeth, their nails (that very hard substance at the end of each toe) and maybe then I will go play with one..

I have been there also. They had a enclosure where people were not allowed to enter. The other enclosures had drugged up Tigers in them. Just laying there waiting for people to pet them lay down beside them and put there head on them. In short. drugged up to the point where they were incapable of aggression. One cage had small ones the size of a large house cat. They did not appear to be drugged up.

They had one tourist one way or another get himself in to the restricted area where he found out why it was restricted. I wonder if he was the same guy.

I have a healthy fear of getting bitten by any animal much less a Tiger but I had no fear of the drugged up ones.

[krading]

Ended up as Eric the Red faced

[thaiedward]

Sometimes we are compelled to recall the only thing we have to fear is fear, itself.

One time in the past, I stopped a charging Morgan (whom I'd never met, before). Summers on the farm in Canada (PEI) taught me quite-a-lot: e.g., 'Never turn your back unto a beast-unfettered/unrestrained, not even to a cow'.

At some point in the future-near I shall endeavor to publish a rather-dumb picture of myself ("All is Vanity") with my arm upon a tigress' back. It's my suspicion she's well-fed with downers in her cutlets.

Nice photo for the hind-side of my biz-card

Kind regards to all,

.

[Nisa]

climbed into a restricted area

our guide had to hit it to get it off me

Did the guide "climb" into this area with him and the entire group or just let him 'climb" in by himself? Could be the guide didn't know he "climbed" into this area until he heard the attack and then the guides amazing speed and agility allowed him to 'climb" into this same area and beat the tiger off the tourist before he could any real damage.

Sounds like this article is clearly geared to blame the farang and make the Thai tour guide the hero. Maybe this is the case but find it interesting they don't mention what he "climbed" to get in this area or if he required stitches or was even take to the hospital or any mention of if any of the Monks are trained to care for tigers and if not why are they.

And doesn't it require numerous very painful shots to the stomach over a number of days or weeks to prevent possible rabies? While technically this would be "medication" the wording makes it sounds like the guy just needs to pop a few pills. But maybe I am wrong and now there are pills available to prevent rabies. Although neither makes any sense since they know the animal that did this and the animal could easily be tested for rabies as they always do, when the animal is available, instead of putting a person through unneeded painful and costly injections.

Just seems to me this story doesn't add up and a Google news search couldn't find any other reports but the one linked here.

A lot of questions. The article was in a Swedish newspaper. He brags about being in with nine Tigers and being attacked and not afraid. Some what self serving. Probably a Swedish maid a night for him.

As for the article it is proof positive that the Nation is not the only inept news paper in the world. In fact it makes them look good.

It is not a Swedish newspaper. Check the URL again and the actual page. It is a Scandinavian / Asia news site and the news story doesn't even list an author or where the story came from except to say "newsdesk"

And his saying he was not afraid is being taken out of context. He seems to be simply saying he didn't feel the tiger was actually attacking but more less playing. And given the fact that he is not in the hospital it sounds like he was factually right.

[Nisa]

We have a place called TIGER KINGDOM located in a area call MAE RIM just north of CHIANG MAI... I saw these creatures from about 15 feet away and not up close and personal..as others were so daringly doing during session a photo shoot. These are wild animals for sure.. do not be fooled by monks, punks, or drunks...a wild creature is just that.. remove their teeth, their nails (that very hard substance at the end of each toe) and maybe then I will go play with one..

I have been there also. They had a enclosure where people were not allowed to enter. The other enclosures had drugged up Tigers in them. Just laying there waiting for people to pet them lay down beside them and put there head on them. In short. drugged up to the point where they were incapable of aggression. One cage had small ones the size of a large house cat. They did not appear to be drugged up.

They had one tourist one way or another get himself in to the restricted area where he found out why it was restricted. I wonder if he was the same guy.

I have a healthy fear of getting bitten by any animal much less a Tiger but I had no fear of the drugged up ones.

I am curious what kind (construction) this restructed area is/has that allows both the tourist and his guide to easily enter (climb), and presumably exit, the area but not allow more agile tigers to escape ... especially when a Tiger can jump/leap 4 meters in the air.

Edited December 29, 2010 by Nisa

[Deeral]

THe entire site is a shambles - ands a safety risk - poor maintenance and poor staff training are a potentially dangerous mix.

It is a wonder that there has been no reports of more serious incidents there.

I'm NOT convinced that the tigers are routinely drugged they may be administered in some circumstances.I also think that the drugging of the animals is a red herring.Besides the place has only one vet and he himself admits he is not trained in looking after Big Cats.

THe issues with the place are manifold and a lot more serious than mere drugging of their charges.

The monks show a casual if not foolhardy disrespect for the animals, thinking it great fun to poke an animal in it's testicles with a large stick.

- I saw some activity there when a small horse approached the tigers that would suggest they are not drugged. The following activity amongst the tigers was that of agitated animals ready to pounce on prey. I cannot say whether this activity was on par with normal or partially suppressed by drugs. THere was however several minutes of tension and it was clear the volunteers were looking for advice, help or orders from their superiors which didn't appear to be forthcoming.

The tigers are chained to the ground - by a stake or to a larger concrete slab one can't tell as any such thing it is hidden below the dirt. Assuming they couldn't break free anyone within the range of that chain could have been at risk....there are no fences etc, only the calls of the volunteers asking you to keep your distance.

So anyone wanting to "push the envelope" will find little or no problem in doing so, as the place is really only partially supervised and inadequately fenced.

[Deeral]

THere are of course problems with drugging animals - just has anyone who has received medication or taken drugs/alcohol etc. THey wear off - and then follows the after effects.this can be erratic behaviour etc - even when the drugs are supposed to be taking effect the animal cannot be relied upon to behave predictably.

[Derifo]

climbed into a restricted area

our guide had to hit it to get it off me

Did the guide "climb" into this area with him and the entire group or just let him 'climb" in by himself? Could be the guide didn't know he "climbed" into this area until he heard the attack and then the guides amazing speed and agility allowed him to 'climb" into this same area and beat the tiger off the tourist before he could any real damage.

Sounds like this article is clearly geared to blame the farang and make the Thai tour guide the hero. Maybe this is the case but find it interesting they don't mention what he "climbed" to get in this area or if he required stitches or was even take to the hospital or any mention of if any of the Monks are trained to care for tigers and if not why are they.

And doesn't it require numerous very painful shots to the stomach over a number of days or weeks to prevent possible rabies? While technically this would be "medication" the wording makes it sounds like the guy just needs to pop a few pills. But maybe I am wrong and now there are pills available to prevent rabies. Although neither makes any sense since they know the animal that did this and the animal could easily be tested for rabies as they always do, when the animal is available, instead of putting a person through unneeded painful and costly injections.

Just seems to me this story doesn't add up and a Google news search couldn't find any other reports but the one linked here.

I believe if an area is marked as restricted, people should not go into it no matter what.