Thailand 

Orangutans – dying to please in Thailand?

Thailand has undoubtedly been a major importer of orangutans, as evidenced by the 115 orangutans discovered at Safari World, Bangkok. At least half of these were proven to have been illegally imported. Although 53 orangutans are due to be returned to Indonesia in June 2006, it is possible that Safari World has at least this many again, crammed into small, metal cages.

What possible justification can there be for keeping orangutans in these cramped, baking hot conditions? Starved of all natural stimulation. Not so much as even a branch to be seen in a cage. This is how Safari World, Bangkok, has been keeping its orangutans – as many as 50 - possibly for as long as three years. It is a truly appalling situation. Can you begin to imagine what life must be like for these intelligent great apes, day after day, week after week, they languish like this in the stifling heat of Thailand.

These orangutans, as far as we can establish (and Safari World will not confirm,) have been caged up like this for nearly three years in the sweltering heat of Bangkok.
Photo: Jim Helmer, BOSF Canada

Notice boards in the park indicate they plan once again to dress up orangutans as boxers to fight one another in front of crowds of people. Just how much worse can it get for orangutans in this park? When will this torture end?
Photos: (left) Karl Amman and (above) Nature Alert

For more about the confiscation of orangutans from Safari World (pdf file) please click here

Although the orangutan shows were cancelled at Safari World over two years ago, it looks like they intend to continue with these abusive and humiliating performances. Elsewhere in Thailand orangutans are also treated badly. The LopBuri Zoo, a three-hour drive north of Bangkok, received five orangutans as a donation from a wealthy landowner – how they came into his possession is still unknown. These five are all alleged to have been illegally imported. In April 2006, Nature Alert asked the CITES office in Thailand to investigate this matter and we still await their findings.

The children of Central Kalimantan, Borneo want their orangutans returned.
Photo: Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation

We do know this establishment is not an officially recognised zoo; it is a ‘rescue centre’ of the lowest possible standard, run entirely by the Thai military. When visited by Nature Alert in November 2005, all the orangutans remained locked up in a cave-like cage with barely any natural daylight, the keeper had gone away for a couple of days and no one else was allowed to let them out into the fresh air for exercise.

As many as nine orangutans were left to bake and sweat it out in these dark caves for at least two days late in 2005.
Photos: Nature Alert

In the tourist resort of Pattaya is the Nong Nooch Tropical Garden. It has a small zoo with four orangutans, amongst other animals and birds. Visits to the park by Nature Alert investigators have witnessed detergent-covered orangutans being hosed down, presumably before being dressed and forced to pose for photographs with tourists for a fee. Where they are kept between photo sessions and overnight is not clear; no outside enclosure has so far been seen. The origin of these orangutans is not yet known. Yet another example of orangutan exploitation and cruelty in Thailand and I am sure we will find more.

A freshly soaped-up orangutan waiting its turn to be hosed down with cold water. There is seemingly no end to the ways that Thai zoos find to abuse and humiliate orangutans.

This orangutan’ s handler is touting for business – tourists to the area seem to be willing to pay to have their photos taken with an orangutan dressed in human clothes.

The above photos represent a small percentage of those we have depicting orangutan abuse in Thailand. All are equally as shocking. It is time for the illegal trade to end and the orangutan shows to stop.

How can you help the situation in Thailand?

If you are thinking of visiting Thailand, you may wish to reconsider your plans. Do you want to spend your money in a country which flagrantly tortures and exploits orangutans?

Would you write to Thai CITES official Mr. Schwann Tunhikom, and ask him to confirm that he has investigated the five orangutans at LopBuri zoo? What are his findings and how were they arrived at? You might also ask him if he will conduct the same exercise as Malaysia has done and DNA test ALL orangutans in captivity – this is the only way to ensure Thailand has returned all illegally obtained orangutans to their country of origin. 

The e-mail address of Dr. Schwann Tunhikomis is: schwann@dnp.go.th

Could you also write to the Minister of the Ministry of Environment: H.E. Yongyut Tiyapairut and ask him if he will investigate the five orangutans donated to the LopBuri Zoo to see if they were illegally imported? Also, will he arrange the same exercise as Malaysia has done and DNA test ALL orangutans in captivity – this is the only way to ensure Thailand has returned all illegally obtained orangutans to their country of origin?

The e-mail address of H.E. Yongyut Tiyapairut is: yongyut@mnre.go.th

It would also help if you could write to the Ambassador for Thailand, in London. (If you are overseas please could you write to the relevant Ambassador in your country). Details can be found at www.thaiembassy.org.

In the UK, please could you ask Ambassador Mr. Vikrom Koompirochana to investigate the orangutans at LopBuri Zoo, and also to ask his government to stop all orangutan shows and commercial exploitation such as photos taken with tourists. The e-mail address of the Ambassador is: thaiduto@btinternet.com

Why not e-mail Safari World’s Managing Director, Mr Pin Kewkacha and ask why it is they keep so many orangutans in cramped cages when the park itself is so large with plenty of free space? Please could you also let them know how you feel about the humiliating orangutan shows?

The e-mail address of Safari World is: info@safariworld.com

At all times, please be polite in your e-mails to these people.

Please do bear in mind – these orangutans cannot help themselves. They have only us to rely on to save them from a fate arguably worse than death.

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