NAKHON PHANOM — 27 May 2026, Thai police arrested a 37-year-old woman in northeastern Thailand after raiding a traditional medicine and souvenir shop allegedly used to trade protected wildlife furs and animal parts smuggled from Laos.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Anek Taosuphap, commander of the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, ordered officers led by Pol. Maj. Peumwatthi Prathumrach and Pol. Capt. Thanupan Surasaa to carry out the raid at a shop in That Phanom district of Nakhon Phanom province following an investigation into online wildlife trafficking.
Police said the suspect, identified only as Kulkanlaya, was arrested under a Criminal Court warrant issued on 22 May on charges of illegally possessing and trading protected wildlife carcasses.
Authorities seized more than 100 items during the operation, including:
• tiger skins
• clouded leopard skins
• Asiatic golden cat skins
• python skins
• pangolin scales
• deer antlers
• serow remains
• bear carcasses
• other protected wildlife remains
Investigators said the suspect allegedly used the shop, which sold souvenirs and traditional medicines, as a front for the illegal wildlife trade.
Police said the investigation began after officers discovered protected wildlife products being sold online, including tiger skins, pangolin scales and other animal remains.
Authorities later linked the operation to the shop in That Phanom, an area popular with Thai tourists visiting the revered Phra That Phanom temple.
Investigators alleged the wildlife products had been smuggled across the border from Laos before being sold online and directly to tourists in Thailand.
During questioning, the suspect reportedly confessed to purchasing the wildlife remains from suppliers in Laos for resale in Thailand, police said.
The suspect and all seized items were transferred to investigators from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division for further legal action.
