The process to relocate all 137 tigers will take about seven days. DNP's senior administrators have been very firm on the move and are threatening tough legal action against those from the temple who try to hinder the rescue process. This move has been lauded by animal and wildlife organisations and experts from across the world.
The decision to shift the tigers from the temple facility was taken at a meeting between representatives of DNP, police, soldiers and the National Office of Buddhism, which took place at the Kanchanaburi Provincial Hall on May 27, 2016. No representatives from Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno were present at the meeting.
Adisorn Nuchdumrong, the deputy director-general, DNP, revealed that the remaining 137 tigers (there were 147 tigers within the Tiger Temple facility, 10 were relocated to the Ratchaburi Wildlife Breeding Centre earlier this year.) are to be rescued and moved to Pa Khao Son and Khao Prathap Chang Wildlife Breeding Centres in Ratchaburi.
Commenting on the relocation, Adisorn said, “If there is a fight or obstruction of authorities performing their duty, the department will sue everyone because officials have to do their job and [the temple] has been notified in advance."
The Tiger Temple has been defiant and has gone on to file a suit with the Central Administrative Court in an attempt to stall the operation. However, Adisorn has gone on record to say that the court has rejected the temple's suit and the operation will be carried out as planned.
There seems to be enough evidence of illegal activity to shut down the Tiger Temple, and Thailand's Department of National Parks has reportedly been trying to confiscate the temple tigers since April 2015. Unfortunately, the department has not acted to jumpstart a stalled investigation into what happened to three tigers that went missing from the temple in December 2014 - despite stated intentions to transfer the case from the local Soi Yok police to the federal Royal Thai Police.
Just last month, news of the Tiger Temple being granted a zoo license was circulated. This was met with heavy criticism from national and international wildlife and animal rights activists who have been demanding the closure of the temple on the grounds of wildlife trafficking and animal abuse of which evidence was shared by National Geographic and Cee4Life.
Source: Bangkok Post
Read about Sanctuary's The Tiger Temple Takedown campaign.
