Poker Writer
The Thailand Marine Corps uncovered exotic animals kept captive at a casino in Cambodia following air raids a week ago along the Thai/Cambodian border.
After Thailand dropped bombs along the border, some gamblers were stranded. Now, authorities have stumbled upon exotic animals, which they say were used to intimidate debtors into paying up.
Near the Tomoda Casino in Cambodia, Thai marines found a male lion, female lion, two Asiatic black bears, and one Malayan sun bear. All five of them were malnourished to the point that their bones showed. Reports say it was difficult to determine if the animals were even alive at first glance because of their extreme weakness.
The border casinos cater primarily to Thai residents, as gambling is strictly forbidden in Thailand. Tomoda Casino (sometimes written as Thmor Da) has been open since 2015.
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Malnourished Animals Used For Intimidation
The predators were not simply exotic animals owned for luxury; they had a sinister purpose. Cambodian-Chinese casino boss Chen Zhi is the figure reportedly behind the weakened animals. The mysterious and elusive figure, who has been accused of masterminding a $14 billion crypto scam, operated the “private enforcement chamber.”
The chamber was used as a hidden torture chamber room. The animals were intentionally starved, fed as little as 15% of their daily needed nutrition. Starving them was intended to make them aggressive so they would be willing to go against their natural instincts and attack humans out of desperation for food.
According to some accounts, debtors were intimidated by the threat of being fed to the predators. And in some cases, they allegedly actually were, as the predators “tore apart” the people pushed into the chamber.
This is not the first instance of this practice being uncovered. The Thai-Cambodian border zone has long been a lawless area with some notorious reports of similar use of predators. In 2021, a casino in Myawaddy, Laos, was exposed for starving tigers intended to intimidate people. In 2023, crocodile pits were also discovered in nearby areas.
The state of the cages for these animals was filthy. The discovered predators all had disease, yellow nails, and signs of infection.
Exotic Animals Rescued, Expected to Recover
The rescue teams had to use heavy machinery to free the animals since the cages were reinforced with concrete. The reactions of the animals were unpredictable, with their sense greatly disrupted by the malnutrition. Veterinarians had to administer anesthesia while the rescue crew worked with the loud machinery.
The rescue team then relocated the five predators to a wildlife protection center in Chonburi, Thailand, after freeing them from the nightmare chambers.
The Thai military controls the area now, and the casino is reportedly sealed off following the animals’ rescue. Reports say that all five are expected to recover fully.
