Phuket Tiger Kingdom may close temporarily after tourist bitten

[webfact]

Phuket Tiger Kingdom may close temporarily after tourist bitten
Saran Mitrarat


We want to boost staff confidence – Tiger Kingdom GM Kachane Jakkapark (right, with District Chief Sayan Chaichanawong.

PHUKET: -- Tiger Kingdom is considering closing for one or two days after an Australian tourist was badly bitten by one of the tigers at the facility yesterday (October 21).

“Many staff are frightening after the accident happened, so we are now deciding whether to close Tiger Kingdom for one or two days to boost staff confidence,” general manager Kachane Jakkapark said this evening (October 22).

“It was accident. The best thing we can do now is to give full support to the [injured] tourist,” he added.

This afternoon (October 22), Kathu District Chief Sayan Chaichanawong, acting on orders from Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong, led Thung Thong Police to visit the victim, 49-year-old Paul Goudie, in his room at Phuket International Hospital, where he is recovering from he attack.

Thung Thong Police superintendent, Col Thitirat Asakit told the press that Tiger Kingdom staff had been watching as Mr Goudie played with the tiger and had his photo taken with the big cat. “The staff were paying attention,” he added.

He said that the tiger bit Mr Goudie as he stood up. “Because his weight is over 119 kilograms, he can’t stand up easily, so staff were helping him to stand when the attack took place,” he explained.

He said that management thought the tiger might have believed Mr Goudie was attacking the staff, and that was why it had bitten him.

“The tiger may have felt protective towards the people who take care of it, so it bit him on the left calf. Mr Goudie has had 29 stitches to his wounds,” he added.

District Chief Sayan confirmed that Mr Goudie’s condition is improving, “He was able to talk with me and understood that it was an accident,”

“He also promised me that he will visit Tiger Kingdom again the next time he is in Thailand,” he added.

Mr Sayan also displayed documents provided to him by Tiger Kingdom showing that the facility has the correct operating license issued by the Royal Forestry Department (RFD).

Mr Kachane added, “We have to send our safety training record every year to the RFD.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-tiger-kingdom-may-close-temporarily-after-tourist-bitten-49288.php


-- Phuket News 2014-10-23

[Thaddeus]

“Many staff are frightening after the accident happened, so we are now deciding whether to close Tiger Kingdom for one or two days to boost staff confidence,” general manager Kachane Jakkapark said this evening (October 22).

Give that man a cigar, or a job sweeping the streets.

[Somtamnication]

“The tiger may have felt protective towards the people who take care of it, so it bit him on the left calf. Mr Goudie has had 29 stitches to his wounds,”

Darwinian comment of the day!

[rhythmworx]

Fingers crossed they close it permanently.

[steelepulse]

Not surprised to see they are blaming the victim (due to his weight), or perhaps blaming him because the protective cat thought it was attacking it's handlers. It definitely wasn't the cats fault though, reads this article. I'm not buying it.

Edited October 23, 2014 by steelepulse

[schlog]

Best would be the general manager Kachane Jakkapark stay alone with the tigers in the tiger cage for one or two days to boost staff confidence.

[hansgruber]

If you not fat Farang this wouldn't happen.

What a mentality.

Sent from my LG-D858

[kurnell]

Surely the tiger isn't hungry anymore?

[madmitch]

I just did an internet search and was quite surprised to see more than one Australian zoo offering a similar photographic experience, of course at a much higher price than in Phuket. I wanted to know whether this was a purely Thai phenomenon.

Plenty of interesting information as well if you read some of the online articles. One claims up to 60 incidents per year occur in these places.

But of course there's nothing wrong with this as there even seems to be a specific licence issued by the Royal Forestry Department. Yes, the very organisation that you'd have thought should be there to protect tigers in the wild, not to encourage basic commercialisation of these creatures.

[slipperylobster]

Yep. Working with tigers is something that does not include the benefit of retirement.

[finnomick]

So much for ' once bitten, twice shy ' then...

[petedk]

“Many staff are frightening after the accident happened, so we are now deciding whether to close Tiger Kingdom for one or two days to boost staff confidence,” general manager Kachane Jakkapark said this evening (October 22).

So the staff are "frightening" ?

Better stay away.

[A1Str8]

Close for one two days to boost confidence. That's new.

[shaurene]

I went to the tiger place just outside Pattaya couple your ago and sat next to one F*#*^n big one I was very careful to be quiet and calm! and stroked it very gentil! when I was ready to get up I quietly moved away from it before I got up! got a great pic of it.

Such a beautiful animal and such a shame for it to not be free and safe in a jungle.

[steven100]

" District Chief Sayan confirmed that Mr Goudie’s condition is improving, “He was able to talk with me and understood that it was an accident,”

“He also promised me that he will visit Tiger Kingdom again the next time he is in Thailand,” he added. .....

Now Mr Goudie ... you know this was an accident don't you .. ? just because we forgot to feed killer this morning has nothing to do with him taking a piece of your leg ...

Now Mr Goudie .... as you know this is amazing thailand .. so we are giving you a free pass for your next visit ... but we'll make sure all the animals are fed before you come.

.....

[Roel]

Not surprised to see they are blaming the victim (due to his weight), or perhaps blaming him because the protective cat thought it was attacking it's handlers. It definitely wasn't the cats fault though, reads this article. I'm not buying it.

Well for sure it was not the cat's fault as he surely not voluntarily applied for a job as a caged tourist attraction. When the tiger was young he probably had other dreams: go hunting, territory fights with fellow tigers, having fun with the ladies, doing all kinds of tiger things.

[klauskunkel]

I once went to the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi. There was an even mix of foreign and Thai visitors, however, I noticed that none of the Thai would got near a tiger, only the foreigners would go close up and touch the animal. So I thought, the Thais lived together with tigers in their country for a long time, maybe they know a thing or two about them...and so I declined the monk's offer to hug the beast.

[SOTIRIOS]

.....were any of those statements verifiable quotes from the victim.......???

[Mot Dang]

He said that management thought the tiger might have believed Mr Goudie was attacking the staff, and that was why it had bitten him. “The tiger may have felt protective towards the people who take care of it, so it bit him on the left calf .

Yep, if you know animals that is believable. My dog latched onto a good friend who wanted to rough me up. The dog has known him for years, didn't see it that way, as horseplay, and instincts took over. No serious damage though. Plus the dog looked very sheepish when he realized what he had done.

[Shot]

“Many staff are frightening after the accident happened, so we are now deciding whether to close Tiger Kingdom for one or two days to boost staff confidence,” general manager Kachane Jakkapark said this evening (October 22).

Drugging the staff too, would work.

[Thaddeus]

I once went to the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi. There was an even mix of foreign and Thai visitors, however, I noticed that none of the Thai would got near a tiger

Probably didn't know how to cook one.

[Equalizer]

Amazing how in every case involving a foreigner they somehow manage to part some of the blame on the foreigner. Do these people not realize they are acting like a 5 year old child trying to deny he or she has done nothing wrong when they are caught out. Maybe this is the answer, maybe Thai children are not chastised for lying when they are trying to defend themselves!!

[LivinginKata]

Fingers crossed they close it permanently.

Yes, agreed. Better closed.

[Mavrix]

Mr Goudie will visit again all right.....probably with a shotgun

....& he now only ways 113kgs, as he shat himself good and proper !

Edited October 23, 2014 by Mavrix

[Sviss Geez]

“The tiger may have felt protective towards the people who take care of it, so it bit him on the left calf. Mr Goudie has had 29 stitches to his wounds,”

Darwinian comment of the day!

Don't think you've quite got the idea of Darwinism, but if your (mis-)understanding of it was correct then you'd be in line for taking the gong.

[mancub]

I went to the tiger place just outside Pattaya couple your ago and sat next to one F*#*^n big one I was very careful to be quiet and calm! and stroked it very gentil! when I was ready to get up I quietly moved away from it before I got up! got a great pic of it.

Such a beautiful animal and such a shame for it to not be free and safe in a jungle.

More of a shame that you support it's captivity/exploitation by paying to stroke it !

[Sviss Geez]

I went to the tiger place just outside Pattaya couple your ago and sat next to one F*#*^n big one I was very careful to be quiet and calm! and stroked it very gentil! when I was ready to get up I quietly moved away from it before I got up! got a great pic of it.

Such a beautiful animal and such a shame for it to not be free and safe in a jungle.

As these animals are born and raised in captivity it would not be "free and safe" in a jungle.

And such hypocrisy from you, on one hand you contribute to the commercialism of the tigers so you can be photographed with them but on the other hand you claim it's such a shame for them to be in a place where they are exploited commercially and not "free and safe". Make up your mind which side you're on.

[JacChang]

“He also promised me that he will visit Tiger Kingdom again the next time he is in Thailand,” he added.

Zoo owner, "Ok you caused reputation damage to my zoo, it will decrease revenue. You will come next year also ok? You understand? Or else..."

Customer, "Ok, I promise, please don't hurt me."

[eezergood]

Gets better by the day this place.......

[maidee]

500 baht fine for the tiger and a promise never to bite a farang in the future anymore