14 Lions, Countless Other Animals Seized During Raid On Bangkok House

[Considered Opinion]

Customs is having a bad week aren't they.

How do you smuggle a live lion?

Not exactrly something that you can stick down your pants.

Customs, as far as I am aware are even more crooked than The BIB.

Can't stick them down your pants but maybe they put them into condoms first and stick them up their rectum to smuggle through customs?

You're right. Absolutely no reason you couldn't stick A lion in a condom and pop it up your bum is there?

[Considered Opinion]

Khlong Sam Wa

I think I heard a roar when I passed by there once, but put it down to the chili I had that evening.

Safari World is in Khlong Sam wa. That means roars are actually quite likely...

It also wouldn't be a surprise if at least some of the animals are fully legit. Far easier to smuggle some creatures when you've got genuine trade to hide it amongst.

i.e. Police took our parrots once when we were in London and the mother-in-law was left looking after them, as she didn't know where the documents showing their legal purchase were. My wife managed to get most of them back when we returned, but one had apparently died in police custody.

Was the one that died in police custody a black cockatoo?

Was this in Queensland?

[khaowong1]

Sometimes.......no...often I wonder at the stupidity of some people.....how the f!!"?k do youhide lions????

Even if they had this house 2 or 3 miles from anyone else's house, don't you think the neighbors would have heard them? Lions do make a distinctive noise.

[harrycallahan]

Kill two birds with one stone: stick drugs up the lion's butt.

[harrycallahan]

i.e. Police took our parrots once when we were in London and the mother-in-law was left looking after them, as she didn't know where the documents showing their legal purchase were. My wife managed to get most of them back when we returned, but one had apparently died in police custody.

Maybe he was sleeping? Just a little bit dead?

[mrtoad]

Customs is having a bad week aren't they.

How do you smuggle a live lion?

in a very big suitecase

It was a Tight Fit

[bri1guy]

That house was Mike Tysons summer home when in Thailand

[ozyjon]

How would you feed so many animals and where would you get the meat to feed the lions?

[tropo]

Customs is having a bad week aren't they.

How do you smuggle a live lion?

Not exactrly something that you can stick down your pants.

Customs, as far as I am aware are even more crooked than The BIB.

No, but you could stick quite a few in a shipping container.

[Payboy]

Khlong Sam Wa

I think I heard a roar when I passed by there once, but put it down to the chili I had that evening.

Safari World is in Khlong Sam wa. That means roars are actually quite likely...

It also wouldn't be a surprise if at least some of the animals are fully legit. Far easier to smuggle some creatures when you've got genuine trade to hide it amongst.

i.e. Police took our parrots once when we were in London and the mother-in-law was left looking after them, as she didn't know where the documents showing their legal purchase were. My wife managed to get most of them back when we returned, but one had apparently died in police custody.

The only time the safari world lions roar is when they're being chased by the rabbits, or when they need another "fix".

[sunshine51]

I'm guessing the neighbours are all deaf if this has only come to light now

May I add that their sense of smell must not be too good either....

and their eyes a bit hazy too....

Edited June 12, 2013 by sunshine51

[biplanebluey]

Sometimes.......no...often I wonder at the stupidity of some people.....how the f!!"?k do youhide lions????

Not just Lions--------- And nearly 300 of them---------- And not one complaint from any of the neighbours !!!

[biplanebluey]

Sometimes.......no...often I wonder at the stupidity of some people.....how the f!!"?k do youhide lions????

Not just Lions--------- And nearly 300 of them---------- And not one complaint from any of the neighbours !!!

Sorry--------- Double post

Edited June 12, 2013 by biplanebluey

[Thormaturge]

In typical Thai tradition I expect the house owner will deny any knowledge of the animals.

A quick "well, how did they get there?" a wai, and the appropriate amount of cash should do.

[wilcopops]

In typical Thai tradition I expect the house owner will deny any knowledge of the animals.

A quick "well, how did they get there?" a wai, and the appropriate amount of cash should do.

People in the house have got form - prior convictions for trading illegally in wildlife

Edited June 14, 2013 by wilcopops

[ableguy]

Customs is having a bad week aren't they.

How do you smuggle a live lion?

Not down your pants thats for sure, maybe they put them in the trunks ( boots ) of luxary cars.

[ableguy]

Khlong Sam Wa

I think I heard a roar when I passed by there once, but put it down to the chili I had that evening.

Safari World is in Khlong Sam wa. That means roars are actually quite likely...

It also wouldn't be a surprise if at least some of the animals are fully legit. Far easier to smuggle some creatures when you've got genuine trade to hide it amongst.

i.e. Police took our parrots once when we were in London and the mother-in-law was left looking after them, as she didn't know where the documents showing their legal purchase were. My wife managed to get most of them back when we returned, but one had apparently died in police custody.

The only time the safari world lions roar is when they're being chased by the rabbits, or when they need another "fix".

were your parrots Norwegian blues ?????

[yourauntbob]

In an unrelated story, Safari World will be temperarily closed

[wolf5370]

I'm guessing the neighbours are all deaf if this has only come to light now

There's a better report (IMO) from Associated Press : http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/thai-pet-shop-owner-14-rare-lions-arrested-article-1.1369038 (here in the NY Daily News - full credit given).

It says : "We have been monitoring the location for a few days after the neighbours complained about the noise from the animals," Ek (police Col.) told reporters during the raid in a residential area of Bangkok's Klong Sam Wa district. "And if you looked through the gate, you could spot lions in the cage."

Also says that the lions had import documents and were supposedly destined for a zoo in the NE - but two lions are missing from the documents too.

One of the problems here is that although Thailand is a member of the convention regulating international trade in endangered species, it only covers Thai Animals mostly. This means that the police have to prove importation irregularities (including import tax fraud) and/or cruelty - there are laws against illegal importation of CITIES animals (like the lions), but if papers are "obtained" this stymies that. The bigger problem of course is that the sentences are so very low - fines up to $1,300 and/or 4 years in gaol (rare) - compare this to the tens of thousands a tiger can bring on the black market, and its not hard to see the risk/reward mismatch. The guy in this story, who runs a shop in Chatuchak, has already been prosecuted before for trading wildlife - why did he get a license to import? (allowing him to get the paperwork for importing the lions).

Edited July 9, 2013 by wolf5370