PHUKET: Man with iguana arrested in Patong

[Lite Beer]

PHUKET: Man with iguana arrested in Patong
Darawan Naknakhon

Public Nuisances: Surasak Targnam and iguana (name withheld) after their arrest in Patong

PHUKET: Police yesterday (Dec 6) arrested a man with an iguana in Patong after receiving complaints that he was hassling tourists to have their picture taken with the reptile.

Patong resident Surasak Targnam, 25, was arrested around 5pm, standing in front of the OTOP market on Rasauthit Road, holding the iguana and a Polaroid camera. He admitted to charging tourists 200 baht each to take a photograph of them with the iguana.
Surasak was charged with public nuisance offences.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/man-iguana-arrested-in-patong-50009.php

-- Phuket News 2014-12-07

[lee b]

What about stealing it from the wild as well? Is there no charge for that offence?

[zaphod reborn]

Unless he's cutting the iguana in for 80%, he should also be charged with unfair business practices and iguana trafficking.

Edited December 7, 2014 by zaphod reborn

[madmitch]

What about stealing it from the wild as well? Is there no charge for that offence?

Don't think he'd have stolen it from the wild as these reptiles are native to South and Central America.

[KonKorat]

hahahaha,the police only arrested him so they can get their picture taken with the iguana for free

[FritsSikkink]

iguana (name withheld)

[anon022]

How about taking on the army of aggressive South Asian suit dealers you encounter at every tourist destination?

[cruisemonkey]

How about taking on the army of aggressive South Asian suit dealers you encounter at every tourist destination?

Even though they're not an endangered species, you're not allowed to take Indian tailors out of their natural habitat.

[anon022]

How about taking on the army of aggressive South Asian suit dealers you encounter at every tourist destination?

Even though they're not an endangered species, you're not allowed to take Indian tailors out of their natural habitat.

Well, hopefully they sent them back then where they came from, or at least half of them.

[anon022]

Wasn't it because the beast terrified the heck out of many a foreign female tourist rather than the photograph pitch, that prompted some of them to complain? My and perhaps others' complaints about the aggressive tailor vendors on Kao Sarn with the local TAT seems to have had some effect, but none of them have ever been taken into custody as far as it seems although the Chanasongkram police station is just a stone throw away. They're still out in full force, but at least they're not jumping in front of you any longer with their catalogues pushed in your face every ten meters.

[phil2407]

Love how they name the man- but name of iguana (withheld)

[Suradit69]

hahahaha,the police only arrested him so they can get their picture taken with the iguana for free

Hard to see clearly, but I think the iguana is point at the perp with his right forearm.

[Suradit69]

What about stealing it from the wild as well? Is there no charge for that offence?

Well, aside from the "reporter" thinking Thailand is a city and that forests are lined with streets, if this 1997 report is to be believed, iguanas in "the wild" of Thailand don't do very well. 3000 a week seems a bit hyperbolic as well, but maybe this was what preceded the Furby craze.

http://www.anapsid.org/igpets.html

THAILAND: City of Dead Iguanas

Joanna G. Lownestein, World Press Review, February 1997

Bangkok's middle-class citizens are not paving their city with gold these days, reports Cimi Suchontaon in the independent Bangkok Post. Instead, they are lining the streets with dead iguanas. People buy the Western pets to impress their friends but don't have the foggiest notion of how to take care of them. "When the pets cease to amuse their owners, they dump them in the forest," says Secretary-General Pisit Na Patalung of the Wildlife Fund of Thailand. But the South American iguanas perish because they do not know how to survive in the Thai habitat. Some 3,000 iguanas are sold each week in Bangkok. Small ones sell for about $30; bigger ones cost up to $400.

Edited December 7, 2014 by Suradit69

[soalbundy]

don't they look proud of themselves, or to quote Bruce Forsyth,'' didn't they do well''

[jabis]

Poor iguana :/

[VBF]

How about taking on the army of aggressive South Asian suit dealers you encounter at every tourist destination?

Even though they're not an endangered species, you're not allowed to take Indian tailors out of their natural habitat.

The gutter, you mean?

[KhunMoo]

Jesus XXXXXXX christ - how on earth does this qualify as "news" worthy?

And yeah, that points to TV as well, just because PG reports this crap, does not mean that others have to forward it.

[mrhappyniceguy]

I saw him put the Iguana on a female Aussie tourist. She flipped out and dropped the Iguana on the pavement - about a 5 1/2 foot drop. The Iguana needs to be in its' environment, not on the street.

[Loptr]

The iguana should be pointing at the perp...

The touts on Bangla Road are more than a nuisance... Especially the katoeys around soi Crocodile...

Edited December 7, 2014 by Loptr

[anon022]

The iguana should be pointing at the perp...

The touts on Bangla Road are more than a nuisance... Especially the katoeys around soi Crocodile...

So that's where you spend your free time, you naughtly little possum!

[donmeurett]

Looks like a major crime has been solved. No more crime in Phuket it is now safe for all.

[Gonsalviz]

How about taking on the army of aggressive South Asian suit dealers you encounter at every tourist destination?

Haven't learned to ignore them yet?

[robertthebruce]

I saw him put the Iguana on a female Aussie tourist. She flipped out and dropped the Iguana on the pavement - about a 5 1/2 foot drop. The Iguana needs to be in its' environment, not on the street.

Put him in Jail for a long period, they will soon get the message, as for the Iguana put it back where it belongs....

Poor Animal... , mistreated due to ignorance of a Human Being...

[soalbundy]

I saw him put the Iguana on a female Aussie tourist. She flipped out and dropped the Iguana on the pavement - about a 5 1/2 foot drop. The Iguana needs to be in its' environment, not on the street.

Put him in Jail for a long period, they will soon get the message, as for the Iguana put it back where it belongs....

Poor Animal... , mistreated due to ignorance of a Human Being...

I bet it was sexually mistreated as well