Leipzif zoo

BANGKOK -- Seven storeys above a shopfloor hawking cheap perfume and nylon underwear, Thailand's "shopping mall gorilla" sits alone in a cage -- her home for 30 years despite a re-ignited row over her captivity. Activists around the world have long campaigned for the primate to be moved from Pata Zoo, located on top of a Bangkok mall, with singer Cher and actor Gillian Anderson adding their voices in 2020. But the family who owns Bua Noi -- whose name translates as "little lotus" -- have resisted public and government pressure to relinquish the critically endangered animal. The gorilla has lived at Pata for more than three decades but her case made headlines again this month after the zoo offered a 100,000 baht ($2,800) reward for information leading to the arrest of whoever graffitied "Free Bua Noi!" on one of the mall's walls. The upset comes as Thailand welcomes back tourists after the pandemic, many drawn to the kingdom's wildlife -- and ease of access. The zoo … [Read more...] about No freedom on the horizon for Bangkok ‘mall gorilla’

More than 4,000 people including both Vietnamese and foreigners participated in the District 1 Midnight Run 2023 on Saturday. The run was co-organized by the District 1 People’s Committee and Ben Thanh General Cultural JSC. The track stretches through many cultural heritage sites of Ho Chi Minh City, namely the municipal People’s Committee headquarters, Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, Bach Dang Wharf, Reunification Palace, Ben Thanh Market, and Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens, among others. Participants run in front of the Municipal Theater of Ho Chi Minh City, March 25, 2023. Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre The organizing board hopes to introduce the culture, history, and traditions of District 1 that are associated with the image of a sleepless city. More than 4,000 people participated in the event, not only to improve their physical health but also to witness the city at night. Participants run across Tan Dinh Church in District 1, Ho Chi Minh … [Read more...] about Over 4,000 take part in midnight run in downtown Ho Chi Minh City