Frenchman faces legal action for unlawful macaque possession in Bangkok

A French national has found himself facing legal action for allegedly keeping four young macaques unlawfully after showcasing them on social media. This incident unfolded when officials from the Natural Resources, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, along with police from the Natural Resources and Environment Crime Division, executed a search at the individual’s residence in Bangkok.

Department representative, Naruphon Thipmontha, detailed the collaborative search operation at a house located in Soi On Nut 66 within the Prawet district. The search, conducted yesterday, November 14, resulted in the confiscation of four macaques.

The individual in question was identified by the Government Public Relations Department as Jamil Zinedine. This operation was initiated following TikTok posts by Zinedine, which prominently featured the young animals, sparking the attention of police, said Naruphon.

“The foreigner claimed he rented the house during his stay in Thailand and acquired the animals from an unidentified person, raising them out of personal interest.”

The revelation of such activities triggered an official response, as macaques fall under protected species by law.

Macaques are listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This classification necessitates obtaining possession permits from relevant officials. Breaching these regulations can lead to severe penalties, including fines amounting to 500,000 baht (US$14,310) and/or imprisonment for up to five years, reported Bangkok Post.

While the specific consequences for Zinedine were not disclosed, it emerged that he estimated the value of the four macaques at approximately 30,000 baht (US$860). Following the retrieval, the macaques were transferred to the Wildlife Conservation Office for proper care and handling.

In related news, police acted on a tip-off arresting an Israeli businessman at his home in Phuket for his illegal possession of three pig-tailed macaques.

Officers from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division, also known as Greencop, received information that a foreign business operator in the Patong neighbourhood of Phuket was keeping protected monkeys at his residence in the Katu district.