A 47-year-old man was arrested on the evening of May 15 in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district for allegedly attempting to smuggle two baby orangutans into Thailand. Authorities believe the incident is connected to a broader international wildlife trafficking network.
According to a police statement, the suspect, identified only as “Thanasit,” was apprehended around 8:30 p.m. at a petrol station on Prasertmanukit Road, where he was reportedly preparing to deliver the animals to a buyer. The two orangutans—one approximately a year old, the other just a month old—were found in a plastic basket, each wearing diapers and accompanied by a baby bottle.
Images released by police showed one of the young apes clutching a sea lion plush toy. The orangutans, later named Christopher and Stefan, have since been placed in the care of Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation for medical evaluation and ongoing care.
The arrest followed a joint investigation involving Thai authorities, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the Wildlife Justice Commission.
Orangutans, native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The species is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibits their trade.
Police believe the animals had been sold for approximately 300,000 baht each. The suspect faces charges of illegal possession of protected wildlife, which carry a potential prison sentence of up to four years under Thai law. Authorities reported that he confessed to being hired to deliver the animals but did not reveal his compensation.
Further investigations are underway to uncover the extent of the trafficking operation. Police officer Kasidach Charoenlap, a member of the Central Investigation Bureau involved in the case, confirmed to AFP that efforts are ongoing to identify others linked to the smuggling network.
