Thai Tiger Temple- The wild life heaven.
There aren’t many places in the world where you can touch a fully-grown tiger, feed them bathe them, take a walk withteh big goren cat. But seeing is believing, here at Thailand’s Tiger Temple the Monks, allow you to get up close and personal with their domesticated big cats - Tigers.


Actually its a dream come true to many tourists who love to take a personalised photograph with a fully grown big tiger, and not get hurt. Yes it is quite possible in this Tiger Temple in Phuket, Bangkok, Thailand.

Just a couple of hours drive outside Bangkok in the Kanchanaburi province, not far from the world famous Bridge Over The River Kwai, lies the Tiger Temple of Thailand, formally known as Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno. Since 1999, the monks here have taken care of tigers which have been rescued from poachers in the nearby Thai-Burmese border jungle – and to date they are many fully grown tigers and tiger cubs living within the temple grounds.

Every afternoon, the tigers are let out of their cages and taken down to a quarry which has a natural pool for them to bathe and play in. Visitors can walk down into the quarry and see the tigers from only a few feet away – there’s a single rope between you and them. Most of the tigers simply sit stretched out in the sun – they are nocturnal creatures so they laze around during the day. Some of the younger tigers are pretty frisky they are busy playing in the pond, in which playing literally means “whacking each other in the face with their paws”.

Most of the tigers prefer to stay stationary, but if they start moving around, things can become a little tense on the other side of the rope. Some of these tigers are huge, and to be in such close proximity to them is both awe-inspiring and a little scary. Their beauty is mesmerizing though. One would be surprised at just how long one would be content to simply sit and stare at them, take some photos, and then stare at them again.

History Fact of Thai Tiger Temple
Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi Thailand, " one of Thailand and Asia , Tiger in Thai Temple ", The first tiger was brought to the Pha Luang Ba Tua Buddhist Temple in 1998 after being injured by a hunter, but died within days. Soon after, two very ill cubs arrived with large knife wounds in their stomachs. Miraculously, they survived, and the temple quickly earned a reputation as a tiger haven.

When the villagers saw how we tended to the first tigers they brought others. Some were injured by hunters who had a change of heart, others by people who did not want the tiger near their village but also did not want to see it die. The World Wildlife Fund ( WWF ) estimates that there are between 150 and 500 tigers remaining in the wild in Thailand. Healthy tigers from the Temple are sent back to the forest once they are Ready to return.

The Story Behind Thai Tiger Temple formation
Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno was established by the Abbot Phra Acham Phuis (Chan) Kanthitharo in 1994 by order of his teacher Venerable Luata Maha Bua Yannasmpanno, the highly respected and famous meditation guru. The name of the monastery was also given by the Venerable Luangta Maha Bua to follow his full name.

Since its opening Wat Pa Luangta Bua gained a repulation as a wildlife sanctuary , It started with an injured jungle fowl given to the monk by the villagers. Then peacocks came attracted by the calls of by then rather large colony of jungle fowl. An injured wild boar stumbled in to the monastery and the monks cared for him until he could be released back into the forest.

The next day he came back followed by his family group of about 10 animals. Now a countless number of wild boars find shelter in the monastery. Villagers also started to bring in unwanted per: four species of deer moved in followed by buffalo, cow, horses and wild goats. All these animals are roaming the grounds of the monastery freely.

The first tiger cub arrived in the monastery in February 1999. The Abbot- Pra Acharn Phusit (Chan) with Tigers in Tiger Temples , Tiger Temple Kanchanaburi , Thailand. It was a female cub of Indochinese tiger subspecies (Panthera tiger corbetti) and her condition was very poor. When she was only a few months old her mother was killed by poachers near the Thai-Burma border. The cub was sold to a wealthy Bangkok resident who ordered her stuffed.

A local was hired to do the job, which fortunately he did not finish. And though he infected her in the neck with preservative formalin the cub survived. When she arrived to the monastery she was frail and terrified of the slightest sound. Under the loving care of the monks the cub recovered but in July 1999 she fell seriously ill and died. People who know about the incident did not want to see another cub mistreated again. However, it was not to be.

The monastery is situated in Kanchanaburi province, an area lying adjacent to Burma. The Western Forest Complex that stretches along the boarder is the largest protected area in Asia and believed to be the home of the largest surest surviving tiger population in the region. Unfortunately, while this area is protected poaching still occurs rather frequently. When the mother tiger is killed the cubs are taken as a bonus or left to fend for themselves in the jungle.

Just a few weeks after the first cub has died two healthy male cubs intercepted from the poachers were brought to the monastery. They were tiny – just a few weeks old. A few months later the local villagers presented another two male cubs. And soon after the border police patrol intercepted cubs held by poachers and contributed four female cubs, achieving tiger harmony. The Abbot welcomed the animals and as he had no previous experience in looking after large carnivores he had to learn on the job. At first he build some concrete pans, all he could afford, to house the growing cubs in order to prevent them from killing other temple’s animals.

As the years went by the tigers grew up and to abbot’s surprise and delight started to reproduce. However, as the tiger family grew the abbot became faced with the need to create more living space for his charges. As early as in 2003 the Abbot conceived an ambitious plan to create a large open air enclosure where each tiger would be given 1 rai of land. He sat the land aside and the construction began.

Thai Tiger Temple - Meditation Practice
The forest monastery focuses on practicing meditation. There is accommodation for those who are interested in meditation, and wish to stay within the temple. The interested people have to dress everyday in polite white clothing. Woman should stay in a group. With at least one man within that group, for the purpose of communication with the monks.

Thai Tiger Temple - Background
Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno ( Tiger Temple), Rais Forest Monastery, is located at Saiyok District in Kanchanaburi Province along 37 km of the highway number 323. The objectives of the monastery are to propagate Buddhism and to conserve forests and wildlife.

The major attraction to this place is to hang out with the Tigers, like they are your pet cats, and stroke their tail, hang around with the Monks and the Tigers to feed them and to shower them. The close encounter with the Big cat, to be able to stroll around the tigers as they listen to you, and take lots and lots of memorable photographs with the wild cats, in their den at their shower area, when they have their food, etc is a dream come true. If you dream to be able to be with the Tiger, feed them, take them for a walk like your doggy pet, then 'Been There Done That' would be your motto, once you step in to this wonder land of Tigers and Monks.

Warnings while you visit Thai Tiger Temple
Don’t wear red color clothes no loud noises or sudden movements or running. Correct Clothing is a must. Please dress respectfully in the Tiger Temple. You will not be allowed to enter the Temple it you wear Red, Orange or of Bright Pink. Ladies must be covered with clothes from Shoulders to Knees. No tank tops, Show Skirts, Shot Shorts, or Wraps. If you do not have correct clothing, items can be purchased from Entrance.