Red Panda Peeks Out of Traveler's Bag... What Happened at Thailand Airport?

On the 4th, at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, customs officers under the Thai Customs Department were inspecting passengers' luggage. When a customs officer found the bags of six men and women, who were about to board a flight to Mumbai, India, suspicious, a search revealed dozens of endangered animals hidden in baskets and bags.

Red panda hidden inside a basket revealed by the Thai Customs Department
[Photo by Thai Customs Department]

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The authorities discovered 29 Indian chameleons (including black-necked lizards), 21 snakes (such as corn snakes and red bamboo snakes), and 15 birds (including birds-of-paradise and large-billed parrots), among reptiles and mammals. A total of 87 animals were hidden in the luggage, including 7 monitor lizards, 4 skunks, 2 red-eyed squirrels, 2 bats, and 2 baby monkeys.

Five men and one woman of Indian nationality were arrested at the scene. The suspects face up to 10 years in prison. On the 6th, the Thai Customs Department announced this news on social media, releasing photos showing endangered species such as the lesser panda (also called red panda or small panda) in baskets, and parrots trapped in plastic containers. The snakes were wrapped together in cloth bags.

Parrot inside a plastic container revealed by the Thai Customs Department
Photo by Thai Customs Department

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Thailand is known as a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers. While animals are generally sold in China and Vietnam, demand has recently increased in India.

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