Final relocation of remaining tigers at Tiger Temple to finish 3rd June

[webfact]

Final relocation of remaining tigers at Tiger Temple to finish today



BANGKOK: -- Officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation continued to remove tigers from the Tiger Temple this morning and expected to finish relocating the remaining 33 by today.

A total of 104 tigers have been removed to two wildlife breeding centres in Ratchaburi since Monday.

But one matter of pressing concern for park officials is the whereabouts of more than 20 tiger cubs aged between 1 – 2 months that were earlier used by the temple as an attraction for tourists who were allowed to feed them milk.

Authorities are eager to find and rescue them before it is too late.

Yesterday search of the temple on court’s order not only produced large number of claws and fangs concealed in a number of alms bowls, and two tiger hides in a pickup truck driven out of the temple, but also inside the abbot Luang Tachan’s residence.

But what shocked the officials was the grisly finding of preserved carcasses of tiger babies in about 30 glass jars, which is in addition to earlier finding of 40 tiger cub carcasses stuffed in the temple’s freezing storage on Wednesday.

The ages of preserved tiger cub carcasses in the jars ranged from newly born to one week.

Yesterday soldiers and park officials stopped Net Kunruengkrai, a temple official, while he was driving Phra Lamom, an apprentice monk, out of the temple with two other temple’s employees and three large bags on the truck.

When questioned, the driver said that he was driving Phra Lamom to visit another senior monk in the province.

Checking the bags they found 2 full sized tiger hides, 9 tiger fangs and 1,045 amulets made from tiger skins.

Several cut tiger hides were also found as well and when asked where the items came from he was unable to give a clear answer.

When they questioned Phra Lamom, he stated that he had no knowledge whatsoever and denied involvement in the matter.

But after more questioning, the temple employee and disciples divulged that it was Phra Lamom who brought the bags into the vehicle but they did not know where he was taking them to.

Searches were also conducted at the monk’s residences including those of the abbot’s which later produced even more tiger hides along with a number of tiger fangs hidden in monk’s alms bowls.

Authorities now believe that monks and officials at the temple were attempting to get rid of incriminating evidence upon hearing of the impending inspection.

Authorities had to use lock cutters to break into these rooms as they were locked and the grisly items have dully been confiscated.

Saiyok district police were notified so formal criminal charges would be filed against all responsible.

Meanwhile park officials said they are also collecting DNA and blood samples of the relocated tigers to examine their exact species if they are native tigers or Bengal tigers.

This was necessary because these relocated tigers will be freed into wilderness after being taken care of at the two wildlife breeding centres for certain period.

If they are native tigers, they could be freed into the nature to feed themselves.

But if they are Bengal tigers, they could not be freed into wilderness but have to be raised in detention areas for life as they could not feed by themselves in Thailand’s natural surroundings.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/165842


-- Thai PBS 2016-06-03

[simon43]

If they are native tigers, they could be freed into the nature to feed themselves.

But if they are Bengal tigers, they could not be freed into wilderness but have to be raised in detention areas for life as they could not feed by themselves in Thailand’s natural surroundings.

Er... right,so if I understand this correctly, the native tigers know that they are Thai, and so have no problems to find food, MaMa noodles, poot pasa Thai gap khon Thai etc.

But the Bengal tigers, who come from just over the border in Myanmar, Bangladesh, India etc, will be unable to fend for themselves, don't speak Thai etc, and therefore have to be 'detained' for the rest of their lives.

OK, I think I understand now

[dageurreotype]

But one matter of pressing concern for park officials is the whereabouts of more than 20 tiger cubs aged between 1 – 2 months that were earlier used by the temple as an attraction for tourists who were allowed to feed them milk.

Authorities are eager to find and rescue them before it is too late.

Waterboard 'Prah Lamom'

[GuestHouse]

Simon, a concern that has been raised for many years by critics of this establishment is the question, are they vross breeding various subspecies of tiger.

I suspect that is the teal point of the DNA tests.

[dageurreotype]

Edwin Wiek ‏@EdwinWiek 4m4 minutes ago

Ok ready for this one?: One of the arrested man with tiger parts at #TigerTemple yesterday seems to be a Border Police Officer...

Only ONE police officer?

[Farma]

If there's anything good to come out of this article it's that I learnt not all tigers are Bengal tigers from India. It appears there are smaller subspecies like the Indochinese and Malaysian tigers .

[rkidlad]

And there was me thinking that Tigers liked hanging out with people. Loved a cuddle and to be put into a cage.

Ignorance is bliss. I hate when people throw reality into my face. Makes me think about my actions.

Sorry, having a pop at all those people who went to this tiger temple thinking it was cool and hip 'cos it was run by a bunch of monks.

[Brer Fox]

So what are these lowlife religious phonies going to do next to turn a baht? Bootlegging liquor might be the go. Seems lately that alcohol is one of the monks favourite refreshments.

[Misterwhisper]

Now all that still remains to be done is to relocate the abbot, his monks and their little helpers - to jail.

[ddavidovsky]

Do they know what they are talking about? Tigers born in captivity apparently cannot be introduced to the wild because their hunting skills are as much learned (from their parents) as they are instinctive. They will probably turn up at the nearest village expecting to be fed.

There is also the problem that the habitat they are being introduced to is insufficient to support wild tigers in the first place.

[seajae]

have to wonder if we will actually see any of the monks charged over all this, they have lied and obviously been involved in criminal activities but will the police have the balls to actually arrest any of them. With over whelming evidence the authorities need to step in and jail all those involved no matter who they are, they also need to remove the zoo licence they have granted to these idiots as they are totally unfit to have anything to do with any animals ever again. This goes to show just how pathetic thai law is when it comes to certain people, being a monk does not give anyone the ability to evade the police, lets hope the police grow some and start arresting all these wayward/criminal monks plus shutting down their money making temples. as well as confiscating all their hidden wealth.