ZPOT Director-General Suriya Saengpong was shot at a Songkhla zoo on Saturday morning.
The head of the Zoological Parks Organization of Thailand (ZPOT) was shot dead during a meeting called amid the unsolved disappearance of a one-of-a-kind albino barking deer.
A senior veterinarian from the same zoo fired the fatal shots. Later, he committed suicide in his home located on the grounds of the zoo in the southern province.
This tragedy adds a new twist to the mysterious case that the authorities have not been able to resolve for months and which has required several in-depth investigations.
Varawut Silpa-archa, the natural resources and environment minister, said last Thursday that he did not believe the claim of zoo officials, who said a python had eaten the rare animal in February.
Concerning this, Mr. Varawut ordered to start a new investigative procedure. Therefore, Suriya Saengpong, the director-general of ZPOT, traveled from the capital to Songkhla to start the investigations on Saturday morning.
Faced with this event, Minister Thanetphol Thanabunyawa’s secretary stated that he was told that Suriya went to Songkhla Zoo to meet with its director at his office, and that he later called a meeting with zoo officials. However, he does not know the details about their conversations.
Moreover, he said: “During the meeting, one veterinarian based at Songkhla Zoo suddenly pulled out a gun and fired shots at Mr. Suriya in the face and body. He died instantly. The vet fled.”
According to the police, Suriya had asked to speak with the director of the zoo, Chalermvudh Kasetsomboon, and with Phuwadol Suwanna, head of animal health research and conservation at the zoo. Mr. Phuwadol asked his boss to leave the room because he wanted to speak to Suriya in private. Later, gunshots were heard.
Furthermore, investigators speculated that Phuwadol was upset that the ZPOT chief had signed his transfer order a few days ago to clear the way for inquiries into the deer’s disappearance.
The forensic agents, together with the authorities, arrived at the scene and found Suriya dead with 14 gunshot wounds to the head and body. Also, there were nineteen 9mm cartridges scattered around the room.
Subsequently, they found Phuwadol’s body in the bedroom on the second floor of his residence within the compound. According to Thai media, he had a gunshot wound to the head.
Chaowalit Chukachorn, chairman of the board of the Thailand Zoos Organization, expressed concern that state zoos are being used to promote illegal activities and wildlife trafficking.
