British explorer uncovers shocking truth at abandoned Phuket Zoo (video)
A British explorer got more than he bargained for during a visit to Thailand’s abandoned Phuket Zoo, uncovering a hidden and haunting secret that left him and his viewers stunned.
British content creator Sean King, known for exploring deserted attractions on his YouTube channel @SeanKing5150, ventured into the defunct zoo. What he found was both extraordinary and deeply troubling.
“I thought the animals had been rescued.”
King referenced reports that the zoo, which closed in 2021 due to financial woes during the pandemic, had relocated its remaining wildlife to sanctuaries. However, his unsettling footage revealed otherwise.
Wandering through overgrown grounds and crumbling structures, King stumbled upon an ominous pool. Peering into the murky water, the daring explorer realised he wasn’t alone.
“No way…mate, they are still in here. Nine, 10, 11…12 crocodiles. You’re having a laugh. Get them out of here!”
The crocs weren’t the only remnants of the zoo’s controversial past. Further exploration revealed a lone tiger and a herd of deer, which the British man suspected were being fed.
“There’s an icebox with sausages in it. This is beyond belief. Phuket Zoo was awful when it was open, and now it’s worse.”
Phuket Zoo, once notorious for alleged animal mistreatment and labelled “hell on Earth for animals” by PETA, made headlines in 2021 when a major rescue operation relocated 11 tigers to a sanctuary, marking Thailand’s largest-ever single placement of tigers, reported LADbible.
Sean’s footage, described as “heartbreaking” by viewers, has reignited calls for accountability.
“I hope someone who can help sees this.”
“Sometimes you just gotta say, ‘Phuket, I’m going in!’”
ORIGINAL STORY: Phuket Zoo to close down following Covid-19 economic destruction
Phuket Zoo is the latest casualty of Covid-19 restrictions’ devastation on the island province’s tourism economy. The zoo is closing down, and all its animals have been sent to new homes, according to the owner. The zoo’s owner and operator, 42 year old Suriya Tanthaweewong, told The Phuket News this week that the zoo started to close when the pandemic broke out in 2020, even though the zoo had brought joy to animal lovers for over 2 decades.
“Phuket Zoo had been in operation since 1996. We started to close in 2020. We could not bear the cost because there was no income from tourists coming in.”
When asked what he would like Phuket Zoo to be remembered for, Suriya said he didn’t want to talk about the past. He said, “Let’s just adjust to the current situation”.
The Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand is now caring for 11 tigers from the zoo, after the foundation prepared enclosures for them. WFFT has also taken in black bears from Phuket Zoo, however, it needs funding to build the bears enclosures. Each enclosure will cost around 14,000 euros, or nearly 520,000 baht. People who would like to help the WFFT build bear enclosures can click on their website HERE.
This news comes after Thailand’s wildlife department has taken a massive cut this year. While the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation used to receive 80 million baht each year to care for animals, this year, the funding wildly plummeted to 30 million baht due to a government cut.
With Thailand’s wildlife department struggling and zoos and animal rescue foundations lacking in funds, who knows what the future of Thailand’s animals holds.
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