Officials swoop down on Sukhothai house, arrest owner for allegedly selling protected birds
Royal Forest Department officials arrested Panja Akhom, aged 36, at his home in Sukhothai’s Si Satchanalai district on Wednesday following a tip-off that protected birds were sold at this house.
Officials reportedly found 10 white-rumped shamas, a protected animal under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, in separate cages around the house, as well as bird-feeding equipment. They confiscated the rare birds.
Panja reportedly confessed that he had been selling the birds via a Facebook private group, set up exclusively for those interested in owning rare birds.
“The suspect said he sells the birds at Bt400 each, and has earned around Bt100,000 per month,” an official said.
Forestry officials took Panja to the Si Satchanalai Police Station to file charges.
The department aims to release the confiscated birds into the Tham Jao Ram Wildlife Sanctuary in Sukhothai.