Bangkok —
On November 15th, 2024, Atthaphon Charoenchansa, the Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, disclosed the arrest of a foreign man following public complaints about social media posts on TikTok and Instagram showing him handling protected monkeys.
Thai authorities, armed with a court-issued search warrant, raided a residence in Soi On Nut 66, Bangkok, where they discovered four protected baby monkeys: two male crab-eating macaques and two male pig-tailed macaques, valued at approximately 30,000 baht.
The suspect, publicly identified only as Mr. Jami (surname was withheld by the police), reportedly admitted to acquiring the animals from an unknown source without any legal documentation for possession or breeding.
The suspect stated he had entered Thailand for educational purposes and had rented the premises as his residence. He was charged under the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act for illegal possession of protected species, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to 500,000 baht, or both.
The confiscated animals and related equipment were handed over to the Wildlife Conservation Office for care and safekeeping, as per legal regulations.
