Thai Forces Rescue Starving Exotic Animals from Cambodian Border Casino
Posted on: December 27, 2025, 12:07h.
Last updated on: December 27, 2025, 12:09h.
Thai marines rescued five starving lions and bears earlier this week from a bombed-out former casino bordering Cambodia in a deepening dispute between the neighboring Southeast Asia countries.
The animals — two lions, two Asiatic black bears, and one sun bear — were found locked in rusted cages inside the abandoned Thmor Da Casino compound, dehydrated and severely malnourished after being left without food or water potentially for weeks.
The grim situation was discovered by a Trat Marine Special Task Force while sweeping the casino grounds, which had been used by the Cambodian military as a forward position during the latest flare‑up along the contested border. According to Thai officials, the animals appeared to have been kept as a casino tourist attraction before the conflict forced staff to flee.
Veterinarians tranquilized the animals before transporting them across the border for emergency treatment and then to live in Thai breeding facilities. All five animals were expected to make a full recovery.
During recent clashes, according to Thai officials, Cambodian forces occupied the casino compound, using its multi‑building layout and elevated structures as defensive positions. Casino staff evacuated early in the fighting, leaving the animals trapped in their cages as artillery fire damaged surrounding buildings and cut off power and water.
Thmor You Know
Thmor Da Casino (also known as Thmor Dar) was a border casino complex located in Thmor Da commune, Veal Veng district, Pursat province, Cambodia, directly opposite Ban Tha Sen (or Ban Tha Sen village) in Trat province, Thailand.
Thmor Da Casino was one of several gambling complexes operating in the loosely regulated border zone and in a legal gray area. Known for gambling since at least 2015, it was opened by Chinese investors (according to the National Thailand online newspaper) to attract Thai gamblers who have faced a strict gambling ban at home since 1935.
The casino operated on Cambodian soil but relied almost entirely on cross‑border traffic. Its remote location, and informal autonomy due to weak enforcement, made it a convenient site for both commercial activity and, during periods of tension, military positioning.
The discovery of the neglected wild animals has renewed scrutiny of border casinos, many of which house exotic animals for photo attractions or private collections.
Wildlife groups have called for a full investigation into how the animals were kept and why no evacuation plan existed despite the casino’s proximity to a long‑disputed military zone.
The casino itself remains sealed off as military units continue clearing operations in the surrounding area.
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