Horrified tourists watch as Bangkok zookeeper mauled and eaten by lions

An experienced zookeeper was eaten alive by lions at Safari World in Bangkok on Wednesday. Horrified tourists looked on as the big cats chewed through his flesh and left his body in a puddle of blood.

Witnesses said the zookeeper, Jian Rangkasamee, was dragged to the ground and attacked by at least three lions, according to the state-run Thai News Agency . He had stepped out of his jeep to clear trash in the section of the park meant for visitors to view the animals from their vehicles.

The victim, 58, was pulled away by his colleagues after about 15 minutes and later pronounced dead at the hospital, the TNA reported.

A zookeeper has been eaten alive by a pack of lions in front of horrified tourists at Safari World Bangkok in Thailand.https://t.co/Xy68CJMo9h

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) September 11, 2025

Rangkasamee had worked with tigers and lions for over 20 years and was employed by the Bangkok Zoo since 2019. He was tasked with driving a pickup truck to help guide the animals within their designated areas, it added.

The first lion that attacked was reportedly 10 metres away before approaching and grabbing the zookeeper from behind. After he was dragged to the ground, other lions joined in.

Lions maul zookeeper to death in front of tourists in ThailandIn Bangkok’s Safari World zoo, 58-year-old Gian Rangharasami was killed after leaving his jeep inside a lion enclosure. One lion attacked him, soon joined by several others.Tourists watched from their vehicles,… pic.twitter.com/GMlFwklkrd

— Based & Viral (@ViralBased) September 11, 2025

Fellow zookeepers blared their car horns, attempting to scare the big cats away. Then they fired guns, but by that point Rangkasamee’s body had been gnawed down to the bones.

Other park employees said one of the park’s rules bars customers and employees from getting out of their vehicles.

Thailand’s Department of National Parks, which is responsible for the country’s zoos, said its staff were on their way to the facility to investigate what happened. It shut down the park while considering whether to euthanize the lions.

Safari World Bangkok calls itself one of Asia’s largest open-air zoos and offers lion- and tiger-feeding trips for around $37 per person. Its website says “visitors can get up close and personal with wild animals such as tigers, lions, bears and zebras wandering freely in their natural habitats.”

The zoo expressed its “deepest condolences” to the victim’s family and said it would provide them with “full care and support.” It said such an incident had never occurred before in over 40 years of operation and that all the animals were being monitored by a team of experts.

Fatal attacks by wild animals have been a longstanding issue  in Thailand. Wild elephants caused at least 227 fatalities over 12 years,  officials reported in 2024.

Breaking news - Zookeeper Dies After Lion Attack at Bangkok ZooStatement from our Founder and Director, Edwin Wiek: #SafariWorld #Lions #Thailand pic.twitter.com/hTqeNn7HTK

— Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (@WFFThailand) September 10, 2025

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand wrote in a statement posted on X: “This incident should serve as a stark reminder that these animals, even when raised by humans from birth, still pose a serious threat to human life that can be triggered without warning.”

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