A tragic incident occurred at Safari World in Bangkok, Thailand on September 11, when a 58-year-old zookeeper, Jian Rangkharasamee, was fatally attacked by a group of lions. The supervisor was inside the lion enclosure when one of the lions approached him from behind and swiftly attacked. Within moments, four other lions joined in the assault as horrified tourists looked on. Despite efforts by some visitors to scare the animals away by honking car horns and shouting, the attack continued for a harrowing 15 minutes.
Witnesses described the scene where the zookeeper was grabbed by a lion without making any noise. Eyewitnesses mentioned that bystanders initially thought the lion’s actions were friendly as they believed the keeper and the lion might have had a familiar relationship. However, it became apparent that the lion was not playing, leading to the tragic outcome.
The victim, who had been working at the zoo for nearly two decades in the lion and tiger zones, sustained severe injuries including bite marks and claw scratches on his neck, abdomen, and right leg. Despite the speculation that the lions’ behavior could have been playful due to their familiarity with the keeper, the attack proved fatal due to the animals’ size and strength.
Following the incident, the Department of National Parks initiated an investigation into Safari World, and the zoo temporarily closed the area for safety measures, securing all lions in cages. The victim’s body was set to undergo an autopsy before being released to the family for religious ceremonies.
