An investigation by wildlife officials of Kanchanaburi’s “Tiger Temple” continues to be frustrated one month after a raid on the notorious tourist magnet.
Staff sent to count the tigers there yesterday failed to come up with a number, publicly blaming their inability to count on “rain” and “many tourists.”
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation sent a team to count the tigers based on an allegation by the temple’s veterinarian that three Bengal tigers were stolen and removed from the temple in three cars in late December, but the team said they couldn’t count the 143 microchipped tigers because there were many tourists, followed by a downpour.
The counting was scheduled to take place again this afternoon.
According to Veterinarian Somchai Wisetmongkolchai, who resigned after making the allegation, there were actually 147 tigers at the temple, but only 143 were microchipped. He suspected the stolen adult tigers might have been sold for at least THB5 million each.
Somchai’s allegations explain why wildlife officials raided the notorious temple last month and said they would seize all of the animals. A few days later they quietly reversed their decision.
But it sounds like they haven’t given up. Damrong Pidech, former director of the Wildlife Conservation Department, said it technically owns the tigers and is the victim in the story, while the temple should be prosecuted. The department should relocate the tigers and taking care of the animals themselves.
Long accused by animal rights activists of being complicit in trafficking the very wildlife it claims to protect, the Tiger Temple and its abbot were uncooperative with inspectors.
For its part, the temple said it may take the veterinarian to court for making them look bad.
“We have discussed prosecuting the veterinarian who publicized the story,” according to police Gen. Supipong Pakjarung, vice president of the Tiger Temple Foundation.
Freeing the tigers would also adversely affect tourism revenue for Kanchanaburi, Supipong added, according to Manager.
“If the tigers are taken from the temple, the locals will be affected,” he said. “The Tiger Temple is famous worldwide. Some tourists only visit Kanchanaburi to take photos with the tigers.”
Related:
Tiger Temple back in business after reversal by wildlife officials
More than 100 tigers seized in ‘Tiger Temple’ raid
Photo: Xiquinhosilva
Reader Interactions