I was dreaming about walking in the woods among the tigers and lions after I had watched a documentary on Netflix about the Tiger sanctuary in Thailand. A Buddhist monk named Phra Acham Phoosit Kanthitharo started this sanctuary in 1994 by accident when someone gave him a sick tiger to nurse. He not only cured the tiger but the tiger became his pet. Eventually, the tiger died but this created a sensational reputation for him when the people around Kanchanaburi, Thailand started sending the monk cubs and injured tigers to his care. One of my friends visited this place years ago but not until I saw this documentary that its true significance dawned on me.
This sanctuary holds mountain goats, water buffaloes, deers, birds, wild boars and of course more than one hundred Thailand’s wild tigers. The most remarkable and astonishing thing about this place is how the monks treat the tigers. The monks feed them, give them baths, take them out for walks and also allow the visitors to come near the tigers and pet them. The wild tigers are tamed by the Buddhist monks and it is simply unbelievable unless someone sees them in person. There are volunteers from Thailand and some of the Western countries who for a nominal lodging fees could get the experience of working with the monks to care for the tigers. I had an opportunity to talk to some of them this year and I could sense how these young men and women value their experiences in this Tiger sanctuary. When I saw a young man from Czech Republic feeding a 10-month-old tiger with a bottle of milk, I could understand how effectively the monks have trained them to care for a wild animal. The cub was at least four feet long and weighing easily 200 pounds.
This year in Thailand in the middle of December, it was unbearably hot. It felt like summer. People were only seen sporting shorts and T-shirts. Coming from the wintry cold of Wilmington, Delaware, USA, it was a shocking experience for me. Kanchanaburi is about three and a half hours drive from Bangkok. I thought that it would be a good idea to take a look at this sanctuary which fascinated me after having watched the documentary. This sanctuary is also close to the Myanmar border and in the hilly region of the northwest Thailand. The information that I had was not totally accurate, my taxi driver corrected me that it was more than a two hours journey from Bangkok. The Tiger sanctuary is located in a monastery called Wat Pa Luangta Yannasampanno. There is an entrance fee of TB600 and you are also encouraged to donate towards the upkeeping of the tigers and other animals in this sanctuary. There are certain dress codes which should be followed to enter into the Tiger sanctuary. They do not allow anyone dressed in bright colours to get in. The main reason is not to distract the tigers. Also since the sanctuary is located inside the Buddhist monastery, the ladies are urged to cover their shoulders and knees. The Tiger sanctuary is open daily from morning till afternoon.
I bought two tickets and entered the sanctuary. There were high walls and several gates for the security of the tigers. My taxi driver told me that he has been at this place on numerous occasions but have never been inside the sanctuary. We walked through the canyon and entered into the waterfalls area where the tigers were resting at that time. The volunteers guided us literally holding our hands through the resting tigers and took our pictures. At the beginning I was more worried about how to follow the instructions of the volunteers than the presence of the tigers next to me. There were at least 10 tigers different sizes and ages and all of them were resting peacefully. We were told that the tigers are active during the morning and evening hours. In the midday they tend to rest and relax. I guessed that this may be one of the reasons why the visitors are allowed to touch and pet the tigers during the afternoons. My driver, Thongnam would not want to pet the tigers. I think he was simply overwhelmed to see the tigers so close to him, to touch them and pet them was beyond his imagination. However I convinced him to change his mind, and it was an amazing experience for him when he petted them. To me it seems that I have made a little kid very happy as if I have given him the biggest candy he could ever have.
On our way back, Thongnam suggested to take a detour to see the bridge on the River Kwai. It has become a big tourist attraction due to the movie made in the 50s. There were hundreds of men, women and children crowding on and around the bridge. The wooden bridge that we saw demolished in the movie has been replaced since then with a steel bridge. I had the opportunity to see a train pass over it. The train moved very slowly through the tourists over the bridge. The only thing that was missing from the picture was the famous music of the “Bridge on the River Kwai.”