Maldivian tourist caught smuggling rare birds out of Bangkok

The Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) reckons the birds are worth some 100,000 baht.

The luggage belonged to a traveller from the Maldives, who was taking the Bangkok Airways’ flight PG711 to Malé, said Prasert Sornsathapornkul, director of DNP's wild fauna and flora protection division.

“The birds found inside the luggage included black hawk, buffy fish owl and barred eagle-owl,” he explained, adding that all are protected species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

He said the evidence has been submitted to Suvarnabhumi Airport Police to take legal action against the tourist. The birds, meanwhile, have been sent to DNP’s wildlife health division for examination.

“The tourist will be charged under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act as well as the Animal Epidemics Act and Customs Act," he added.