Authorities with Thailand’s crime suppression division believe they have discovered a tiger slaughterhouse and holding facility used by the popular tourist destination Tiger Temple, which is now under investigation for illegal wildlife trafficking.
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Four live tigers were found, along with dozens of empty cages, according to police colonel Montri Pancharoen, who oversaw the raid.
A senior police officer said a large chopping board and a variety of knives were found in what the authorities believe was the slaughter area.
The four tigers were reported to be all adults, according to Montri, who said their ages would be confirmed by veterinarians.
But the license may be revoked if anyone of the Luang Ta Bua Foundation, which asked for the license, is found guilty of animal trafficking, said Teunchai Noochdumrong, an official in charge of wildlife protection of DNP, adding that DNP has talked with Thai police commissioner Chaktip Chaijinda about the case.
He went on: “The Tiger Temple is just a starting point, or a supplier”.
Thailand authorities today barred people from entering the now infamous Tiger Temple, where carcasses of several tiger cubs and hundreds of other tiger parts were recently unearthed, saying the facility was built illegally.
BANGKOK, June 4 (UPI) – Authorities in Thailand are seeking legal action after completing a five day-operation to seize more than 100 tigers from Thailand’s “Tiger Temple“, which has been linked to animal abuse and trafficking.
The temple in Kanchanaburi province, west of the capital, Bangkok, has been a major tourist attraction for more than two decades, with visitors paying US$17 admission to pose for photographs with the tigers.
The Times also reports the monks resisted the police invasion and tried to thwart their efforts for a full half-day to remove the tigers.
The seizure of tigers started on May 30. More than 90 tigers were also found dead and the owner was convicted on 56 counts, including 14 felonies.
The lawyers of the Tiger Temple said the 61-year-old abbot Luang Ta Chan, would return to the temple for a news conference on Thursday to tell his side of the story.
Since tourists around the world visited the temple, so it’s hard to say where these products are sold to, said Adisorn Noochdumrong, deputy director general of DNP.
About 2,000 animals remain at the temple, which is now suffering food shortages. But there are still some wildlife species left on the temple ground which include horse, wild boar, buffaloes, antelope and barking deer.
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In spite of years of criminal allegations, Thailand’s wildlife department granted Tiger Temple a license to own and operate a zoo this April, which would allow Tiger Temple Company Ltd.to legally breed tigers.
