Bangkok: Col. Dr. Thawatchai Kanchanarin, a former professor and surgeon at Phramongkutklao Hospital, recounted a shocking incident at a zoo where a zookeeper was attacked by a lion. The incident unfolded when Thawatchai, who was visiting the zoo, witnessed a zoo official being attacked by a lion, followed by an attack from five other lions, without any apparent resistance or call for help from the victim.
According to Thai News Agency, Thawatchai detailed that he was in the safari zone when he noticed a lone zoo official’s car parked outside the lion zone. Suspicious due to the absence of feeding activities and the official’s solitude, he observed the official standing by his car, seemingly distracted with his back to the animals. Suddenly, a lion approached and attacked the official, who did not resist or appear to struggle. The situation escalated as other lions joined the attack. Thawatchai and other tourists attempted to intervene by honking their car horns, but assistance only arrived 10 to 15 minutes later when another officer appeared on the scene.
Thawatchai expressed concern over the official’s unresponsive demeanor and suggested that medical professionals should test the officer’s blood for any substances that might explain his lack of reaction. The incident prompted an investigation by Pol. Col. Nirutphon Yothamat, Superintendent of Khan Na Yao Police Station, and Mr. Yuthana Pitaktha, Zoo Manager. They identified the victim as a 58-year-old officer who had nearly three decades of service overseeing security at the tiger and lion exhibits. Mr. Yuthana noted that typically two officers are on duty, but the colleague, Buddy, was unavailable, as he was out on an errand during the attack.