A Vietnamese passenger was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport for attempting to smuggle rhinoceros horn through Thailand from Africa to Laos. The incident occurred on Saturday, 31 August 2025, when airport customs officials flagged the traveler, identified only as Thanh, after a scanner detected suspicious items in his luggage, according to Sadudee Punpugdee, director of the Wild Fauna and Flora Protection Division.
Authorities discovered five pieces of rhino horn concealed inside hollowed-out tree trunks, weighing 6.8 kilograms with an estimated black-market value of 6.9 million baht. Thanh had flown from Luanda, Angola, with a stopover in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, before arriving in Bangkok, with Vientiane, Laos, as his intended final destination.
The accused failed to provide valid export documents and has been charged under the Wildlife Protection Act, Customs Act, and Animal Epidemics Act. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full scope of the smuggling attempt.