Animal protection activists are calling for changes to laws governing sales of pets and exotic animals following a deadly fire at a pet market in Chatuchak district of Bangkok on Tuesday.
The blaze at the Sri Somrat market, located behind the JJ Mall shopping centre on Kamphaeng Phet 3 Road, started at about 4.10am and took 90 minutes to bring under control.
Thousands of animals living in 118 pet shops in an area covering 1,400 square metres were believed to have been killed, including many exotic species.
On Wednesday 10 groups issued a joint statement calling for measures to ensure such a tragedy does not occur again. They included the Society for the Promotion of Animal Welfare Under Royal Patronage, the Thai Animal Guardians Association, the Thai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Save Elephant Foundation.
They expressed concern that the incident had put Thailand under a harsh global spotlight, and lamented the suffering the animals experienced.
The groups’ petition included three demands to deal with the case at hand, along with future mitigation measures, with the goal to have a system that promotes sustainable welfare for animals.
The petition demanded a timely investigation into the Chatuchak incident, with fair treatment on all sides.
It also demanded standardised measures for buildings in which pets are sold, including measures on fire protection and other safety aspects. As well, it called for enforcement of related laws, including the Agriculture Ministry Notification on Animal Welfare Arrangements in Pet Sales Locations, BE 2563 (2020).
The Chatuchak District Office has fenced off the fire scene for 90 days so that the investigation can continue unhindered.
Fifty-eight vendors in the market have qualified for certification as disaster victims, it said in a statement on its Facebook page.
Somchuan Rattanamangkalanont, director-general of the Department of Livestock Development, said most of the animals died from smoke inhalation.
The surviving animals, such as roosters, Savannah monitor lizards and bearded dragon chameleons, were sent to the Kasetsart Veterinary Teaching Hospital for treatment, he said.
Columnist Nitiphumthanat Ming-rujiralai posted a series of photos at the scene on his Facebook account, including a picture of a Mexican Black King snake that had bitten its own tail prior to dying.
The picture enraged animal lovers and directed more criticism against the vendors who had caged the animals in such poor conditions.