Live monitor lizard, ricefield rat found in baggage arriving from PhilippinesListen to this articleA monitor lizard found in the suitcase of a Thai smuggler at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakan province on Monday. (Photo: Department of Customs)A Thai passenger arriving from the Philippines was intercepted at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakan with two live protected wild animals – a monitor lizard and a large rice field rat – in his baggage, the Customs Department reported on Wednesday. Inside a suitcase, officers discovered a monitor lizard, wrapped in a blanket, and a large rat in a cage. The animals are protected wild species and the estimated value of the two is about 50,000 baht. “This case could be linked to transnational smuggling networks and is harmful to natural resources, the ecosystem and image of Thailand,” she added.

Source: Bangkok Post February 04, 2026 15:58 UTC