PHETCHABURI, Thailand – A recent wildlife survey along the Phetchaburi River by Kaeng Krachan National Park officials and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) revealed rare camera trap footage of endangered species, including the Malayan tapir and the Indochinese tiger. The same operation also uncovered signs of illegal hunting activity and led to arrests related to forest product poaching.
Park Chief Mongkol Chaiphakdi reported that during a camera maintenance mission in late April 2025, rangers retrieved footage showing a Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), a large mammal with fewer than 250 individuals remaining in Thailand, walking gracefully by the river at night.
The survey also captured images of a female Indochinese tiger, designated KKT-04F, known for her role in regional tiger reproduction, as well as leopards and clouded leopards – apex predators that reflect the ecological richness of Kaeng Krachan’s 2,914-square-kilometer forest, considered one of Southeast Asia’s most pristine wilderness areas.
In addition to wildlife, camera traps also recorded four men carrying firearms at night, suggesting illegal hunting. Two cameras were later found missing, believed to have been removed to destroy evidence.
In response, the park has intensified patrols, especially in zones showing signs of intrusion. On the return journey, rangers arrested two men from a group of five transporting over 300 kilograms of wild honey via bamboo rafts. The remaining three, all Myanmar nationals, escaped.
A further search uncovered the remains of a dusky langur (Trachypithecus obscurus), a protected species, allegedly intended for consumption. The arrested individuals face charges for illegal entry and forest product collection, punishable by fines up to 100,000 baht. The escaped Myanmar nationals face harsher penalties: up to 5 years in prison and fines up to 500,000 baht for possession of protected species and natural resource destruction.
Kaeng Krachan National Park will expand camera surveillance along the Tenasserim mountain range, a natural border with Myanmar, and intensify patrols during the rainy season when poaching activities typically increase. The public is urged to report illegal activity via the 1362 hotline or the park’s official Facebook page. (TNA)
