Dusit Zoo closed! Goodbye Dusit Zoo…

Video #50 | August 23, 2018

In this video I’m going to give you some bad news. Sorry! The Dusit Zoo will shortly be closed. [August 31, 2018 will be their last day].

Click on the following link to check out more on Important Advice For New Visitors.

#VIDEO TRANSCRIPT#

Bangkok residents got an unpleasant surprise early August. The reason? Dusit Zoo, the oldest and most popular zoo in Thailand, announced on their Facebook page that August 31, 2018 will be their last day. What’s going to happen is that all the animals will be moved to a new 300 rai facility in the Thanyaburi district of Phathum Thani. The new zoo will apparently be three-times the size of the what Dusit Zoo is currently.

My wife told me that Dusit Zoo is a Bangkok institution. Literally all Bangkok Thai have visited the zoo, and it’s a popular day out for parents to take their children. The great thing about this Zoo is that it’s located in central Bangkok, so it’s really easy to visit.

The situation is somewhat confusing as construction of the new zoo has not yet begun. In the interim, all the animals will be temporarily moved to six other zoos which are also operated by the Zoological Park Organization. The six zoos are spread throughout Thailand. They’re located in; Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Songkhla, Ubon Ratchathani and Khon Kaen.

A brief History of Dusit Zoo

Before Dusit Zoo was opened to the public in 1938, it was the private zoo of His Majesty King Rama V. Also known as King Chulalongkorn. Dusit Zoo was actually built in 1895 and known as ‘Khao Din Wana’ or simply ‘Khao Din’. This name is still used by most Bangkok Thai today. The official name though was changed to Dusit Zoo in March 1938.

In 1938, the constitutional government asked King Rama VIII’s regency council to give the land to the Bangkok City Municipality for use as a public zoo. The King donated deer and a number of other animals from the palace for public exhibition. The City of Bangkok operated the zoo until 1954. Since then it has been transferred to the state Zoological Park Organization.

What’s in Dusit Zoo?

The Zoo currently houses around 1,600 species of domestic and international animals, including:

• 331 mammals
• 170 reptiles
• 849 birds

The animals range from monkeys, alligators, kangaroos, and zebras, to penguins, elephants, camels, and giraffes. The Albino barking deer and a white Bengal tiger are highlights of the zoo.

Play Land offers rides and amusement facilities to entertain children throughout the day, while boat peddling and the sightseeing train provide different modes of exploration. Dusit Zoo also contains an animal hospital, zoo museum, and educational center.

Bangkok Unmasked was sad to read the newspaper headline; Dusit Zoo closed. While zoos are not really my thing, it was one of the first Bangkok attractions that I visited. I’ll always have fond memories of the place. Goodbye Dusit Zoo!