Tourists feeding crocs on a raft - officials take an immediate interest

[rooster59]

Tourists feeding crocs on a raft - officials take an immediate interest

Image: Thairath

PATTAYA: It is said that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Thousands of people had shared pictures online of foreign tourists enjoying a trip at a Pattaya animal sanctuary.

The foreigners had been pictured on rafts feeding crocodiles and having a great time. Many posters had wondered where it was but was it safe

Fifteen tourists at a time were shown on the rather rickety looking rafts as the crocs reared up and grabbed food in the pictures posted Thursday.

But also looking at the pictures were Chonburi officials who swooped on the "Anajak Chang Pattaya" facility in Banglamung district yesterday. The entourage comprised police, forestry and fisheries officials and soldiers along with reporters.

They were received by the well known owner Uthen Yangprapakorn who gave them a guided tour of the facility.

Apart from the crocs there are other wild animals such as tigers and leopards as well as elephants for rides and birds. All licenses pertaining to operating a zoo were above board.

But the officials really wanted to see the crocs. These are contained in two large lakes. The first is ten rai in size and contains 1000 crocs. The second is even bigger, 38 rai with 3000 animals.

Uthen said that the rafts were 100% safe and were his own invention. They could carry 8 tons but were limited to 15 tourists per time along with a guide and a driver. An emergency plan was in place in case one broke down, he said - another boat would come to the rescue or they would be dragged back. He also showed them three safety gates to gain access to the lakes from the main body of the sanctuary.

Officials were less sure about the safety. They felt the boats should have more power and that safety measures were inadequate. An analysis by experts was ordered.

Although not reported by Thai Rath, elsewhere on the internet it was reported that the fisheries department had temporarily removed the license pending an investigation due to safety concerns for tourists.

Maybe there is such a thing as bad publicity.

Source: Thairath

-- 2016-07-16

[khwaibah]

Brain dead comes to mind.

[Kerryd]

Yeah, that'll never tip over when overloaded with large tourists, dumping them into a mass of hungry crocs.

[Pimay1]

The water looks nice and green clean.

[onemorechang]

Brain dead comes to mind.

Nah, Its brand new, undamaged, still in original packaging, unopened.

[Tchooptip]

Altogether 4,000 crocs... how on earth is it possible to feed them, how many tons of meat/fish

[AhFarangJa]

8 Tons......No way......But I think I have found a solution to the Chinese tourist problem...

[gandalf12]

This is the first article where the officials have raised the issue of safety. This has to be a hoax

Edited July 16, 2016 by gandalf12

[onemorechang]

Altogether 4,000 crocs... how on earth is it possible to feed them, how many tons of meat/fish

They can go months with out food, even cannibalism is on the menu.

but think they got a new way to feed them for free, and earn some money.

they may even get some high class food one day !!!!!!!!!!!!

Could even be some scope to get rid of some of them soi dogs

Only joking

Edited July 16, 2016 by onemorechang

[gemguy]

Yeah, that'll never tip over when overloaded with large tourists, dumping them into a mass of hungry crocs.

Yep...and that is what everyone envisions....

oooo...ahhh...eee ..hey, that tickles.......stop that you naughty crocodile....chomp chomp....followed by silence.

Cheers

[gemguy]

Altogether 4,000 crocs... how on earth is it possible to feed them, how many tons of meat/fish

They can go months with out food, even cannibalism is on the menu.

but think they got a new way to feed them for free, and earn some money.

they may even get some high class food one day !!!!!!!!!!!!

Could even be some scope to get rid of some of them soi dogs

Only joking

Eventually they become crocodile skin products......and the long run financial pay off......Wah Hoo

[DrTuner]

Cracs like fresh meat, so I don't see any problem. A veritable buffet right there.

[masuk]

Yeah, that'll never tip over when overloaded with large tourists, dumping them into a mass of hungry crocs.

As long as there's life jackets for all, no wurries mate!!

[sahibji]

ah the woes of youth.

you take many chances as an adventure like feeding the crocs in this case.

agitate them too much and the safety of the viewing platform could be

compromised leading to disaster.

[biplanebluey]

8 Tons......No way......But I think I have found a solution to the Chinese tourist problem...

HaHa -------------- ?

[biplanebluey]

Yeah, that'll never tip over when overloaded with large tourists, dumping them into a mass of hungry crocs.

As long as there's life jackets for all, no wurries mate!!

HaHaHa----------- I fall into a lake infested with crocodiles but I have a life jacket and I am safe ___________ HaHa priceless

[Chang_paarp]

The "rafts" invented by " the well known owner Uthen Yangprapakorn" look to have passed an engineering inspection by a well known engineer. Do any marine engineers who have an actual degree want to give an informal opinion as to the stability of these vessels especially looking at the centre of gravity of them, given a hungry croc or two could exert some force on a dangling line.

I do like the use of the blue 200l barrels as flotation, they should resist crocodile testing for a while.

[soalbundy]

Altogether 4,000 crocs... how on earth is it possible to feed them, how many tons of meat/fish

They can go months with out food, even cannibalism is on the menu.

but think they got a new way to feed them for free, and earn some money.

they may even get some high class food one day !!!!!!!!!!!!

Could even be some scope to get rid of some of them soi dogs

Only joking

Eventually they become crocodile skin products......and the long run financial pay off......Wah Hoo

pragmatic, i like it, a good business selling crocodile leather and you get the tourists to feed them, i presume that the tourists have to pay for the food they give the crocs and there would be an entrance fee as well, the owner deserves to be rich.

[gemguy]

Altogether 4,000 crocs... how on earth is it possible to feed them, how many tons of meat/fish

They can go months with out food, even cannibalism is on the menu.

but think they got a new way to feed them for free, and earn some money.

they may even get some high class food one day !!!!!!!!!!!!

Could even be some scope to get rid of some of them soi dogs

Only joking

Eventually they become crocodile skin products......and the long run financial pay off......Wah Hoo

pragmatic, i like it, a good business selling crocodile leather and you get the tourists to feed them, i presume that the tourists have to pay for the food they give the crocs and there would be an entrance fee as well, the owner deserves to be rich.

Yes......I know a Thai man that makes crocodile skin products.

At one time ran a crocodile farm in his home town area up in some part of Issan for years ..but then focused on the manufacturing and selling of all the many crocodile products that he sells ...so, he made a deal with one of his associates where the associate bought the farm and runs the farm while the previous owner knew the costs involved and gives the new owner around 30 to 40% gross profit and buys the crocodile skins for a more or less pre-agreed price.

All based on the cost of raising the crocs and everything included and then the price per crocodile skin paid for by the previous owner works out around 30 to 40 percent profit.

So...The man that makes the crocodile skin products...well, he had the cheapest of all prices of any crocodile skin product manufacture that I came across while all his products can come with certificates, if need be, proving that the crocs are legally obtained from his associate that runs the croc breeding farm...about 400 to 500 crocs per year.. and a small but sustainable operation.

The biggest croc skins that he had were only about 4 feet to some 5 feet long and not all that big really while he told me that they will grow bigger but then they cost more to maintain so after about 1 year most of them are "big enough " and ready to be used.

And the Croc meat? ...He told me the croc meat is sold in the local area and the locals love it.

I ate some store bought Alligator meat when I was in Los Angeles and stayed with 2 Brazilian guys I was doing some business with

They went shopping and came back with packaged Alligator meat...and not cheap...about 8 US dollars per pound

They coated it in bread crumbs and sautéed the fillets in butter and served with a lemon slice and salt and pepper on the side if you liked.

I was hesitant at first but it was surprisingly tasty and I gladly tried some more.

A soft texture but not mushy, rather slightly meaty and not chewy and it tasted like some sort of fish and not at all strong or distinct tasting or strange to the pallet.

Hard to explain but tasted good.

I asked them if they ate alligator meat in Brazil when they were there and they said: Often.....since we were children.

A natural resource just waiting to be exploited while those suckers grow even if they are near starved, as 200 million years worth of evolution is involved...lol

Cheers

[khwaibah]

Front page Bangkok Post Licens have been suspended for 90 days.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Oh! c'mon,you gotta laugh.Where on earth in any other country other than Thailand would you see this as a family attraction.????

[The Deerhunter]

Altogether 4,000 crocs... how on earth is it possible to feed them, how many tons of meat/fish

As another poster says, Chinese tourists?.....

[burgdawg]

...time for a swim!

[T_Dog]

More tourist dollars. No problem.

[onemorechang]

Front page Bangkok Post Licens have been suspended for 90 days.

Good the officials went to check, before something nasty happened.

Well done boys, good job

Lets see it open again with some safety in mind.,

Edited July 16, 2016 by onemorechang

[gemguy]

Front page Bangkok Post Licens have been suspended for 90 days.

Good the officials went to check, before something nasty happened.

Well done boys, good job

Lets see it open again with some safety in mind.,

A better set up would be to have a number of metal built and fabricated extended walk ways projecting out into the croc ponds with several access points and well enclosed with no chance of anyone falling over or falling in or even pushed in.....God forbid

Of course more expensive but easily recognized and understood to be far closer to fail safe.

Meantime, crocodiles are creepy critters and I can not help but think about some sinister people coming around and let it be known they will be in need of some late at night special services...sometimes...for a considerable fee of course...and no questions asked while no one was around to see anything at all...nothing.....

Cheers

[Basil B]

Pattaya and boat in the same sentence...

Missing are the words disaster, sinking, accident.

But it could give a new meaning to the phrase "feeding the Crocks".

[jim cortesos]

This is like a zoo accident waiting to happen? Zip line anyone.?

[malt25]

"Tourists feeding crocks on a raft" Crocks on a raft, now that'd be something to see.

[masuk]

Front page Bangkok Post Licens have been suspended for 90 days.

Good the officials went to check, before something nasty happened.

Well done boys, good job

Lets see it open again with some safety in mind.,

When I was working in Papua New Guinea some years ago, I was invited to a combined poultry processing plant and crocodile farm. It turned my stomach somewhat to see 1000s of prime poultry clipped to a conveyor belt and carried off for processing.

The unwanted parts of the poultry were all steam sterilised, mash added and pelletised for the crocs.

The crocs liked a change in diet I was told, and for Security, the farm had PNG tribesmen from a tribe who were famed for their shortness and their large bows and needle-sharp arrows.

I was told that 2 intruders looking for a free feed of croc meat had "slipped and fallen in" a few nights earlier. The Security guys had some sort of proof that they'd managed to secure evidence of the intruders before their fall, and so earned a bonus, and the crocs had a change in diet.

Strange but true. It doesn't all happen in Phuket!