Detained Japanese man 'bought animals from Chatuchak'
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A 57-year-old Japanese man, who was arrested at Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport on Monday night for allegedly attempting to smuggle wildlife animals back to his home country, claimed he had bought the animals from the Chatuchak Weekend Market on Sunday for a total of 50,000 yen or Bt15,000 to raise as pets in Japan.
The suspect, identified as Kazushi Yamamoto, is currently being detained at the airport and representatives of the Japanese Embassy in Thailand visited him on Tuesday morning to provide assistance.
The man was apprehended after airport officials found live animals in his two luggage -- 12 otters, five owls and three hawks. He was initially charged for violation of the Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act 1992 while the animals were confiscated and sent to the Forestry Department for care.
