A tragic incident at Safari World Bangkok has left a veteran zookeeper dead after he was mauled by a pride of lions.
The victim, 58-year-old Jian Rangkharasamee, was reportedly dragged down and attacked after stepping out of his jeep inside the lion enclosure on Wednesday morning.
Witnesses said one lion approached quietly from behind before pouncing, with several others quickly joining the attack. Tourists honked their car horns and shouted in a desperate attempt to scare the animals away, but the mauling continued for about 15 minutes before staff reached the scene.
Professor Tavatchai Kanchanarin, a doctor who witnessed the attack, said: “The lion attacked the zookeeper while he was getting out of his car. It was about 10 metres away, then slowly approached and grabbed the zookeeper from behind, dragging him to the ground and biting him. Three or four other lions then joined in with biting the zookeeper.”
Rangkharasamee, who had worked with lions for nearly 30 years, was rushed to Intrarat Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police believe the incident happened because strict safety rules were broken. The drive-through safari area enforces a no-exit policy for both visitors and staff.
Pol Col Niruchphon Yothamat of Khannayao Police Station explained: “Normally, he would stay in the vehicle, and the lion would move away once the engine was started, but in this case, the vehicle's door was still open.”
A fellow keeper, Phanom Sitsaeng, tried to intervene after hearing car horns but could not reach Rangkharasamee in time.
Authorities have since ordered the temporary closure of the safari zone while investigations and safety checks are conducted.
Atthapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said: “The incident will be further investigated to determine what happened.”
Safari World officials confirmed all 32 lions in the park are properly licensed, stating that safety rules are regularly emphasized to staff.
Animal welfare activist Edwin Wiek of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand remarked: “This incident should serve as a stark reminder that these animals, even when raised by humans from birth, still pose a serious threat to human life that can be triggered without warning.”