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A veteran zookeeper was mauled to death by a pride of lions at Safari World Bangkok, Thailand, after stepping out of his vehicle inside the enclosure.
The victim, 58-year-old Jian Rangkharasamee, was dragged to the ground and fatally attacked on Wednesday morning.
Witnesses said one lion crept up from behind and pounced, before several others joined in, tearing at his flesh. Tourists honked their horns and shouted in a desperate attempt to drive the lions away, but the animals continued mauling him as onlookers watched in horror.
Professor Tavatchai Kanchanarin, a doctor at a nearby hospital who witnessed the attack, said:
“The lion attacked the zookeeper while he was getting out of his car. It was about 10 metres away, then slowly approached and grabbed him from behind, dragging him to the ground and biting him. Three or four other lions then joined in. Many people witnessed the incident but didn’t know how to help. They honked their horns and shouted.”
The ordeal lasted around 15 minutes before staff managed to reach the victim. Rangkharasamee, who had worked with lions for nearly 30 years, was rushed to Intrarat Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, according to Nation Thailand.
Police believe he broke strict safety rules by leaving his vehicle in the drive-through safari zone, which enforces a no-exit policy for both staff and visitors.
Pol Col Niruchphon Yothamat of Khannayao Police Station said:
“Normally, he would stay in the vehicle, and the lion would move away once the engine was started, but in this case, the vehicle’s door was still open.”
A fellow keeper, Phanom Sitsaeng, was the first to respond after hearing horns blaring, but the lions had already inflicted fatal injuries.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has ordered the temporary closure of the safari zone while safety checks are carried out.
DNP director-general Atthapol Charoenchansa said:
“The incident will be further investigated to determine what happened.”
A senior Safari World official told local media that all 32 lions at the park are licensed, stressing:
“We have rules and we repeat them often as we work with dangerous animals.”
He described Rangkharasamee as “a kind man.”
Edwin Wiek of the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand said the tragedy highlights the constant risk of working with wild predators:
“This incident should serve as a stark reminder that these animals, even when raised by humans from birth, still pose a serious threat to human life that can be triggered without warning.”
