Northern Thailand

Rare Jungle Cats Sighted in Chiang Mai Omkoi Wildlife Sanctuary

The jungle cats (Felis chaus) are found across a diverse region of the globe

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CHIANG MAI – The sighting of rare jungle cats in northern Thailand has buoyed environmentalists and conservationists concerned that habitat loss and animal poaching are contributing to the species’ decline.

The jungle cats (Felis chaus) are found across a diverse region of the globe — from Egypt, West and Central Asia, South Asia, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia — and are considered a key indicator of wildlife conservation.

But conservationists say the jungle cat faces growing pressure across the world as its habitat is reduced by human intervention.

Two cats were caught on “camera-trap” in early January on the Omkoi Wildlife Sanctuary in northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai province.

Thanya Nethithamkul, director general of Thailand’s National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, told local media it may have been up to four decades since jungle cats were last seen in the wild in Thailand.

“We thought jungle cats were lost to our forests. Locals have claimed to have seen them, but there was no evidence proving their existence. But this time we have pictures to show their presence,” Thanya said.

Photographer Parinya Paduntin was working with a team of research assistants from the Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Research Station.

Parinya told VOA a sensor triggered camera was mounted in the park for two weeks in early January. The images of the rare cats sparked great excitement, he said.

“I felt great. We all thought [the jungle cat] was already extinct. You cannot describe it we were speechless. It’s a great success,” Parinya said. “If we could scream out we would have. It was so exciting. There was a chaos moment wanting to report the news to all my friends to say what had happened.”

Edwin Weik, founder of the Wildlife Friends Foundation of Thailand, said while not extinct in Thailand, the jungle cat remains on the list of critically endangered species in Thailand.

Anak Pattanavibool, director of Thailand’s Wildlife Conservation Society, said the sighting was “very important”.

“The record of jungle cats these days, they are very rare and in Thailand a lot of good people believe it may have gone already,” Anak told VOA. “But this time, the person who used this high quality camera trapping system, got very good quality photos of the cat; very clear, very beautiful. It’s very, very important to confirm,” he said.

Jungle cats and other similar species are facing ongoing challenges in the region, where in many parts of Asia their populations have been in decline due to trapping, snaring and poisoning.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has the jungle cat listed as “least concern” on the IUCN’s “red list of threatened species”.

Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) jungle cats are listed under Appendix II meaning while not necessarily threatened with extinction, trade needs to be controlled to avoid threats to their survival.

The IUCN says a scarcity of jungle cats in mainland Southeast Asia “is likely the result of high levels of hunting in open and accessible” forest areas.

In Cambodia, in particular, the IUCN says all the protected areas “are insufficiently managed and threatened by habitat loss, degradation and hunting.”

Anak says the sighting of the jungle cats comes as their habitat more generally is disappearing.

“Most of the jungle cats have gone because of habitat disruption the loss of grass, the open woodland habitat,” Anak said. “This is the habitat that is still remaining in very, very small pockets in northern Thailand so it’s very important we have to try to save this habitat.”

Thailand, pressed by the international community and CITES conventions, has taken steps to curb its role as a wildlife trafficking hub, especially in areas such as ivory shipped illegally from Africa and bound for markets in China and Vietnam.

Thai wildlife and customs officials have succeeded in uncovering operations trafficking pangolins, turtles, and tiger parts and bones for markets, especially in China.

Kraisak Choonhavan, chairman of the non-government Freeland Foundation, monitoring wildlife trafficking, said the discovery of the jungle cats is set against the dangers and challenges of curbing trafficking and poaching.

Kraisak said in recent years some 30 Thai wildlife rangers have been killed by poaching gangs who often have travelled from nearby countries.

“In areas where we call animal sanctuaries along the border with Burma [Myanmar] and with Laos this is where we considered as the richest area for bio-diversification of fauna and flora,” he told VOA. But the region is highly vulnerable to poaching gangs.

“People do come in illegally to kill wild animals here. We have even found that companies in China would hire Cambodians, armed militias to come into Thailand and hunt animals and cut the [protected] wood redwood and other perfumed woods that sets high values in China itself,” Kraisak said.

Thai National Park director general Thanya refused to reveal where exactly the two rare jungle cats were sighted. But he added the presence of the cats pointed to a healthy forest in the Omkoi Wildlife Sanctuary.

By Ron Corben – VOA Asia

Northern Thailand

Tubers on Pai River Draw Anger Over Inappropriate Behavior

The Governor of Mae Hong Son province in northern Thailand has sought stricter rules for tourist tubing on the Pai River, following allegations of tourists sneaking into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police reports and considerable criticism online.

After a resort owner in Pai protested about the existing situation of tubing activities along the Pai River, the Governor became aware of the matter. According to the accusations, wine and beer are discreetly offered to tourists while disguised in plastic water bottles to prevent detection.

After their tubing adventures, these tourists, both men and women, would walk around Pai town in their swimsuits. Men often wear one pair of swim briefs, but most women wear two-piece swimsuits or bikinis.

This behavior was considered derogatory to local culture. Recently, there were instances of tourists slipping into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police investigations and considerable online criticism.

Following the complaint, provincial governor Chuchip Pongchai requested a meeting of the police and allied authorities on July 16 to explore further tourism restrictions.

The province already restricts the selling of alcohol to tourists who go tubing, which involves floating down a river on inner tubes made of rubber tires. Most people observe the guidelines, but others, including some store owners, break them by concealing the alcohol by pouring it in water bottles.

According to TNA, Pai is one of Northern Thailand’s most popular tourist spots, attracting 40,000 visitors each year and strengthening Thailand’s economy.

Tubing in the Pai River has become a favorite activity among foreigners. However, the governor stated that the attitude of some tourists has jeopardised the province’s image.

Tourists Tubing on Pai River

Girl 16 Arrested in Thailand for Defaming Royalty on Facebook

Girl 16 Arrested in Thailand for Defaming Royalty on Facebook

Northern Thailand

Pregnant Woman Goes Psycho Stabs Family Members in Phayao

Police in northern Thailand’s Phayao province have arrested a 40-year-old pregnant mother for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm.

Phayao Police report they were called after a woman and her daughter had been stabbed and beaten by a family member to a house number 206, Soi 7, Village No. 3, Ban San Nong Niao Subdistrict. Tom, Mueang District.

When officers arrived they found Ms. Chayada Chaiyawan, age 45, and her daughter Ms. Patida Chaiyawan, age 19, with injuries to their bodies and heads. Blood was spread all over the bedroom, and they found Mrs. Sakulkarn, aged 40 years, who was a relative living next door, tied up.

The police then transported all of them to Phayao Hospital for treatment. Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice. Both also sustained head injuries, according to Phayao police.

Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice

Ms. Chayada told police the incident occurred around 4:00 a.m. She was sleeping in the room with her young son, when she heard someone opened the bedroom door. She said at that time it was still dark and all she saw a shadow of a person lifting what she though was a hammer.

She said the got up and fought until she fell after being hit in the head and stabbed with a knife, in fear for her life she screamed for her daughter to come and help. When the daughter entered the room the assailant proceeded to hit her in the head and stabbed her also.

The assailant ran out of the room and was immediately restrained by a neighbour who heard the screaming and ran into the house to help. Mrs. Sakulkarn who was 7 months pregnant was tied up and police and rescue workers were called to the scene. The neighbour told police that all the time they were waiting for the police.

Police said Mrs. Sakulkarn is being held in Hospital and is under psychiatric care. Ms. Chayada and her daughter were treated for their injuries and sent home.

According to Thai Media, Police said charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm will be filed against Mrs. Sakulkarn after she is released from Hospital.

Phayao Gets City-Class Air Purification Tower for Air Pollution

Phayao Gets City-Class Air Purification Tower for Air Pollution

Northern Thailand

Train Crashes into Pickup Killing 5 in Phitchit Province

Five people were killed and two others badly injured when a pickup truck was hit by a north-bound train at an unguarded railway crossing in Phitchit province on Monday evening.

Phitchit police reported the horrific crash occurred around 6 pm at Moo 1 village in tambon Pak Thang of Muang district of Phitchit.

Police said the 201 passenger train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok approached the crossing, which was unguarded and had no safety barriers.

A four-door pickup truck plates drove across the tracks and into the path of oncoming the train which was was unable to stop or slowdown in time to avoid hitting the pickup truck.

The force of the crash drove the pickup about 30 metres down the railway crossing and off to the side. All passengers on the pickup were thrown from the vehicle.

Three women passengers died immediately and two more passengers died later at Phichit Hospital. Two others including the driver of the pickup were seriously injured.

Police investigators said truck driver Pratya Khongthat, 40, was taking relatives, including a 14-yea-old girl, to a funeral at Wat Ratchangkhwan in tambon Pak Thang, approximately one kilometer from the accident scene.