STI News: Thailand bans orangutan kickboxing fights at park

August 6, 2004

This message was forwarded to you from Straits Times Interactive

Thailand bans orangutan kickboxing fights at park

BANGKOK - Thailand has banned controversial kickboxing fights between endangered

orangutans following an international outcry over the bouts at a popular Bangkok

wildlife park, according to a news report.

The orangutans, wearing boxing gloves and garish Thai shorts, had been

appearing daily at Safari World wildlife park for the past two decades.

The ban was enforced by the forestry police, the Bangkok Post reported

yesterday, following allegations of cruelty.

Police last Friday confiscated 110 orangutans at Safari World. The animals were

suspected of having been smuggled illegally from Indonesia and Malaysia.

Orangutans are native to those two countries, but hunting and loss of habitat

have seen their numbers tumble to fewer than 20,000, according to the Orangutan

Foundation.

International animal rights groups last week called for a boycott of the Thai

wildlife park, alleging that the animals were being exploited for easy profits

and were destined for a short and miserable existence after their days in the

ring were over.

The park continued to hold the bouts until earlier this week when it received a

police warning.

Police said they were investigating the origins of the animals at the urging of

Indonesian officials, who claimed last week that the orangutans were smuggled

into Thailand from Indonesia.

No arrests have been made. The maximum penalty for trafficking in protected

species is four years in prison and a fine of 40,000 baht (S$1,700).

Safari World played down the ban yesterday, saying it had decided to stop the

show - which began with the 'Rocky' movie theme and included chimpanzees wearing

bikinis carrying cards with the bout number - on its own accord. \-- AFP, AP

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