Phuket-
Local authorities in Phuket have apprehended a man for the second time in less than a month for illegally possessing and exploiting a protected slow loris, a nocturnal primate native to Southeast Asia, to solicit money from tourists.
The arrest took place during the evening at the Karon Walking Street Market, a popular tourist spot in Phuket. Mr. Trin Thipmongkol, Deputy Mayor of Karon Municipality, led the operation alongside municipal council members, local enforcement officers, and wildlife protection officials from the Khao Phra Thaeo Non-Hunting Area. The team responded to public complaints about suspected animal cruelty involving slow lorises being paraded for tourist photo ops.
Upon arrival, officers found the same individual previously arrested on October 10th, 2025, once again offering a slow loris to foreign tourists for photographs. The animal was being held and posed under bright lights and noisy conditions—an environment highly distressing for this sensitive, nocturnal species.
Authorities filed charges at Karon Police Station for illegal possession of a protected wild animal under Thailand’s Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019). The slow loris was transferred to the Phang Nga Wildlife Breeding Center for rehabilitation and eventual release back into its natural habitat.
Despite their wide-eyed appearance and seemingly docile demeanor, slow lorises are not suitable pets or photo props. They are protected under Thai law and listed as vulnerable to extinction. Many are captured from the wild as infants, subjected to painful procedures such as tooth removal to prevent biting, and forced to endure unnatural conditions that severely compromise their health and survival instincts.
The use of flash photography and constant handling by strangers causes immense stress to these nocturnal animals, whose large eyes are adapted for darkness—not the glare of tourist cameras.
While some tourists may believe they are supporting local livelihoods by paying for animal photos, wildlife advocates warn that such actions fuel illegal wildlife trade and animal suffering. Every photo taken and every baht exchanged contributes to the removal of another animal from its natural ecosystem.
Authorities urge the public to refrain from engaging with street vendors offering wild animals and to report such incidents to Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation via the 24-hour hotline 1362.
