Jian Rangkharasamee was 58 years old and had worked with wild animals at Safari World in Bangkok, Thailand, for more than three decades.
The incident occurred on the morning of September 9, 2025, in the park’s drive-through area. According to the account published by Nation Thailand, the keeper got out of his pickup truck to pick up an object from the ground when a lion surprised him from behind from about ten meters away and dragged him along the ground. Moments later, six other lions joined the attack.
The visitors, trapped in their vehicles, honked their horns and screamed, unable to intervene. Colonel Thawatchai Kanjanarin, a former surgeon who witnessed the scene, summed up the helplessness of the moment: “Many people saw what was happening, but didn’t know how to help”. The attack lasted nearly 15 minutes until staff managed to disperse the lions.
Jian was taken to Intrarat Hospital, where all they could do was confirm his death. His wife, Ratanaporn Jitpakdee, said that he always took precautions and had never been attacked. Although preliminary investigations suggest a possible breach of safety protocols, the exact circumstances remain under review in what is the first fatal incident of this kind recorded at the park.