Thailand’s Wild Façade — Drugged Tigers, Pet Lions, as the Mascots of Decline

 

Thailand’s Tourism gloss and depth of Nature often masks a darker underbelly: a sprawling network of drugged petting tigers, captive lions, crocodile and snake farms, and military mascots that blur the line between conservation and cruelty.

Lions as Pets — The TikTok Menagerie

The Bangkok Post details that behind car repair shops and influencer villas, lions lounge in cages for likes. With over 500 captive lions registered in homes, petting cafés, and breeding farms, Thailand’s lion boom is fuelled by social media and lax regulation. Hybrids like ligers, tigons and liligers are bred for novelty, not conservation and will never know the wild.

“It’s absolute madness,” says Tom Taylor of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand. “A human and animal welfare disaster in the making.”

Tigers for Selfies — Drugged and Displayed

Undercover reports reveal rampant abuse of tigers in tourist zoos. Drugged for docility, they’re paraded for selfies, bottle-fed by visitors, and confined to concrete pens. The illusion of majesty masks a cycle of sedation and suffering.

Crocodile & Snake Farms — Commodifying the Exotic

Once prized for leather, crocodiles now languish in breeding pits as demand wanes. Snake farms offer venom shows and photo ops, often with questionable safety and welfare standards.

Surin Elephant Show — Tradition or Tragedy?

In Surin, elephants perform in military parades and circus-style shows. The army mascot culture—where elephants are dressed in khaki and marched before dignitaries—raises questions about national symbolism vs. animal dignity. 

Are soldiers five year olds to be thrilled by an elephant wearing an army tshirt and forced to parade up and down like a bullied conscript?

Navy Turtles & Mascot Conservation

The Royal Thai Navy’s turtle conservation centres offer a glimmer of hope, yet even here, the line between mascot and mission blurs. Are these efforts genuine, or performative?

Caged Bird Markets — Songs in Captivity

Bangkok’s bird markets teem with caged mynas, bulbuls, and parrots, sold for song or superstition. Many are wild-caught, fuelling biodiversity loss and illegal trade.

Insects in amber in souvenir shops massive eco waste. A stark contrast to flocks of ducks used in rice fields to gobble up insects and protect the crops.

Gekko Visitors & Tiger Bones

Foreign visitors are lured by tales of gekko cures and tiger bone wine, perpetuating myths that drive poaching. The commodification of endangered species continues under the guise of tradition.

Shark Fins & Rare Dolphins — Ghosts of the Gulf

Shark fin soup remains a luxury staple, while Irrawaddy dolphins and pink river dolphins vanish from Thai waters. Their decline is a silent indictment of unchecked development and marine neglect.

Time for Reform

Thailand’s wildlife narrative needs rewriting—from spectacle to stewardship. Pet lions and drugged tigers may draw crowds, but they also draw scrutiny. The question isn’t whether Thailand can change—it’s whether it will.

Thailand could take inspiration from the UK’s new Natural History GCSE skool exam, which champions nature literacy and climate awareness. A Thai equivalent might emphasize reforestation of native jungles, wildlife protection beyond zoo captivity, and ethical reserves for elephants and dolphins—moving away from exploitative tourist spectacles. 

Just as the UK, Spain, and Mexico have banned circuses with animals and bullfights, and global consensus grows around whaling bans, Thailand could position itself as a Green Thailand, echoing the ecological ambitions of Green China. Such reforms would not only restore biodiversity but also redefine Thailand’s global image—from exotic showcase or exploiter to 21C environmental steward.