A well-known herbal healer in Kanchanaburi has offered to give his 100 deer, worth about one million baht, to any kind-hearted people to raise on a pre-condition that they must not sell them.
Herbal healer Chairat Nonthachai feeds his deer at his herb garden in Kanchanaburi. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)
Chairat Nonthachai, dubbed "Mor Nane" by local residents seeking his herbal treatments, said on Sunday he bought one male deer and four female deer about 10 years ago from a son of a late deer owner to save them from being butchered.
The owner of a herb garden in tambon Sra Longreu in Kanchanaburi’s Huay Krachao district said the number of the animals has rapidly increased to 100.
Mr Chairat, chairman of the Herb Plant Conservation Club of Thailand, said he was uncertain whether he would continue running his herb garden as state agencies had not given their support to herbal plant products.
If he stopped providing herbal treatment, he could sell his land and he did not know where he would raise his deer. The cost of raising the deer is about 80,000 baht a month.
He said he is willing to give away all his deer to generous people, wildlife foundations or state agencies to take care of them. However, those wanting the deer must not sell or use them for commercial purposes.