Since Bangkok is a regular holiday spot for my family, my mum was eager to find new things to do, even if they were far outside of the city. During this trip at the end of 2014, I found out about the Tiger Temple. Many more exciting spots were visited that day (e.g. Kanchanaburi's "Death Railway"), but I think the Tiger Temple occupied a lot of my attention. I was wary of the place, having read articles claiming that the tigers were drugged and ill-treated, but was undeniably eager to see these creatures up close. It seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I knew I had to see the place for myself before forming an opinion on it.

Something about watching the tiger cubs play in man-made pools, confined to the 8-metre radius they was allowed to move within while tied to a post, and straining against the leash, didn't seem right. The tigers lay on monks' laps in the afternoon sun, tails swishing slowly and barely responding to the excitable tourists (me) stroking them gingerly. Of course, we now know the truth about the Tiger Temple and how those who ran the place face no consequences. If you would like to read more about that, this article is a good start: http://.time.com/4470315/tiger-temple-thailand/

Hopefully, I managed to capture in these pictures just how disturbingly subdued the tigers were, and the nature of their captivity - something I never want to witness again.