Caged tigers found on Thai apartment block roof

Bangkok, Sept 10, 2012 (AFP) - Thai police said they had discovered six underfed tigers in specially-built cages on the roof of an apartment building on Monday, arresting a man who claimed he had been planning to open a zoo.

Four adult cats and two cubs were found at the property on an industrial estate in Pathumthani province, north of Bangkok, in the raid by police from Thailand's Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division.

A 28-year-old man, who lives in the building, was arrested at the scene and claimed to own the animals.

"The man said that he was preparing to open a zoo in the province", said police Captain Montri Neepasee, who said the animals had not been given enough food and did not look "completely healthy".

The tigers were fed with around 10,000 baht's worth ($322) of chicken bones a month.

"They did not get enough nutrients for their growth," Montri said, adding that the cubs were "stressed" in the small cages.

He said the owner of the building, a cousin of the arrested man, denied all knowledge of the caged tigers.

Montri added that the other occupants of the flats had apparently ignored the presence of the big cats on the roof.

"The renters are mostly factory workers and they do not seem to care about environmental issues," he said.

Police said that the tigers will be sent to an animal sanctuary in a nearby province on Tuesday.

A second officer involved in the case, Colonel Panpong Panklump, said the arrested man had been charged with illegal possession of wildlife, which carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison.

He added he believed the tigers would have been sent to Vietnam, where there is demand for "their meat and skins".

Thailand, a hub of international smuggling, is one of just 13 countries hosting fragile tiger populations. Worldwide, numbers are estimated to have fallen to only 3,200 tigers from approximately 100,000 a century ago.

In February police busted a grisly exotic wildlife slaughterhouse in Bangkok when officers caught four men in the act of chopping up a tiger in a residential home.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-09-10

Police found six tigers kept in an apartment in Pathum Thani

The Nation

PATHUM THANI: -- Forest police on Monday seized six tigers that were kept on a roof top of an apartment in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district.

Police from Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division raided Ritbundit Apartment in Moo Ban Thai Tanee in Tambon Klong 1.

At the roof top of the five-storey apartment had strong cage that kept five male and one female tigers there.

The raid followed an arrest in Nonthaburi's Bangkruai district last week, police said, the suspects tipped police about the apartment.

Police nabbed Surasark Boonthienthong, 20, who told police that the apartment and the tigers belonged to him.

-- The Nation 2012-09-10

Shameful Human Being, but his punishment will sum up the view of Animal cruelty/welfare within the Asian continent.

Edited September 10, 201213 yr by josephinebloggs

Another hub for Thailand!

Sickening.

Another hub for Thailand!

They seem to succeed in all the negative hubs but fail miserably in positive, constructive ones!

Can the Nation make it through one week of printing without mentioning the word 'Hub'.

The irony is that for keeping 6 wild animals it is likely that the guy will serve 2-4 years in prison for sure, whilst a rich kid who killed a policeman (or even 9 in a mini-bus) walk free and will not do a day in jail. Thailand, hub of injustice

Edited September 10, 201213 yr by GentlemanJim

<deleted> is wrong with people in this country? Why are they so willing to destroy the environment and everything within it?

Another prime example for the social disorder. Animals are at the bottom of the pecking order.

just how on earth did they get the tigers and manage to send them up the roof?!

Another prime example for the social disorder. Animals are at the bottom of the pecking order.

Perhaps you might care to rethink that one.....

So sad and it just goes on and on in this country (and in the other SE countries as well). Out of the 63.000.000 Thais, how many got an idea how to protect and save their beutiful and unique country?

just how on earth did they get the tigers and manage to send them up the roof?!

Easily they put a lead around its neck just like a dog... you never watched Hangover before lol

Disgust would be too mild. This scumbag needs to be given a 20 year sentence and the idiots living in the apartment building about 10 for aiding abetting the crime by not reporting it. There just seems no compassion in Thai society for wild animals. You only have to look at the way they treat their domestic animals. Large dogs caged in small villas and multiple little yappie ones in small apartments. Thai's have no idea.

Easy PETA.

Tranquilisers and probably purchased from a "tiger sanctuary".

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Thaivisa Connect App

"The man said that he was preparing to open a zoo in the province"

Who on earth could believe such a nonsense

Six tigers found caged on rooftop

The Nation

PATHUM THANI: -- Police have arrested the landlord of an apartment building in Klong Luang district in Pathum Thani, where six tigers were kept caged.

Police and environment officials found five males and one female tiger in three cages on the rooftop of the five-storey Ritthibundit Apartment block. They arrested Surasak Boonthienthong, 29, who presented himself as the landlord and owner of the tigers.

Wildlife officials in Ratchaburi have been contacted to take the tigers and check their DNA to

determine their origin. The arrest stems from a previous wildlife-trade case in Nonthaburi's Bang Kluay district.

-- The Nation 2012-09-11

Disgust would be too mild. This scumbag needs to be given a 20 year sentence and the idiots living in the apartment building about 10 for aiding abetting the crime by not reporting it. There just seems no compassion in Thai society for wild animals. You only have to look at the way they treat their domestic animals. Large dogs caged in small villas and multiple little yappie ones in small apartments. Thai's have no idea.

A little bit heavy on the punishments there old chap, or as the post is after midnight were they fueled by a glass or two of wine? By the way if the use of the term 'disgust' is too mild for you, what word would you use?

"The man said that he was preparing to open a zoo in the province"

Who on earth could believe such a nonsense

On a good day the BiB !

Edited September 11, 201213 yr by GentlemanJim

<deleted> is wrong with people in this country? Why are they so willing to destroy the environment and everything within it?

Simple greed tis all.

<deleted> is wrong with people in this country? Why are they so willing to destroy the environment and everything within it?

think of self first and foremost all the time.

The tigers were fed with around 10,000 baht's worth ($322) of chicken bones a month.

A bit more nutritious than a KFC bucket.

Yesterday I was shocked when I discovered that a balcony in my condo building was converted into a cage for two grown up eagles..

Edited September 11, 201213 yr by kotsak

just how on earth did they get the tigers and manage to send them up the roof?!

Up the stairs. Lift was being repaired that day,

<deleted> is wrong with people in this country? Why are they so willing to destroy the environment and everything within it?

Its called money?

Another prime example for the social disorder. Animals are at the bottom of the pecking order.

Perhaps you might care to rethink that one.....

more like x pats are at the bottem

Sickening.

+1

Sickening.

+1

"was going to start a zoo"?

THat's a bit like Mansion saying he was just practicing for a bigger kill later.

Wow, from the picture in post #18, the suspect looks like a real gentleman and scholar.

A news report on television a few minutes ago said that the tigers would bring from 600K to 1 million baht on the black market.

Opening a zoo ?? garbage!!