A popular Thai period drama is under investigation for suspected animal cruelty after a cat was sedated to show it had “died” on the show.
Mae Yua, or The Empress of Ayodhaya, follows Jinda as she competes with the king’s three foreign concubines to become queen consort, according to the show’s synopsis.
In the fifth episode, a black cat called Samli is made to drink a female character’s tea to see if it was spiked. A few moments later, the cat suffers convulsions and “dies”.
The scene sparked instant backlash from animal rights groups and viewers who asked to know what was done to the cat and demanded that the show be put on hold until an investigation was conducted and the cat’s safety and health was guaranteed.
Television channel One31 said in a statement that the cat was sedated for the scene and that its owner was present. The sedation was done under the care of experts from an animal modelling agency, according to The Bangkok Post.
The show’s director Sant Srikaenlaw released a statement on Facebook apologising for the scene. “I am deeply sorry for causing such an incident that has affected the feelings of all viewers, animal lovers, organisations, and individuals. I would like to humbly accept and thank you for all the comments that have helped me learn, review and reflect on the welfare of using animals in filming,” he said.
“This incident has taught me a lesson to be aware of my responsibilities and the possible impacts of my work. I will be careful not to let something like this happen again. From now on, I am happy to cooperate in every investigation that will take place in order to ensure clarity, transparency, and accuracy in every process in a straightforward manner. I would like to sincerely apologise here.”
In an earlier post, the director had shared pictures of the cat to show it was safe and conscious. He said he would take it for a health check himself, according to The Bangkok Post.
None of this has helped to pacify the viewers or the animal rights organisations.
“It’s like stabbing a real human for a series and then saying we rushed them to emergency and they are fine,” said one viewer on X, according to South China Morning Post.
Another demanded that the show not air and the channel shut down until the investigation concluded.
Bunyakrit Pinprasong, deputy director of the Livestock Department, said on Monday he had asked the channel for a clarification as well as for the names of the experts that supervised the scene.
The channel was also asked to bring the cat in this week so that the department can conduct a thorough checkup.
The Veterinary Council of Thailand, which warned that sedation for unnecessary reasons could harm the animal’s life, said it would take relevant action.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, in a statement on social media, condemned the scene and called for the director to be banned from working with animals in the future.
“Anaesthetising a cat when it is medically necessary always comes with a risk, so to do it for a scene in a TV show is reckless, dangerous, and cruel. Sant Srikaewlaw should be barred from ever working with animals again,” the statement said.
“The public is rightly outraged, especially knowing that today, anything is possible with CGI, AI, and animatronics. Cruelty has no place in entertainment. If you can’t make a TV show without risking the lives of animals, you’re in the wrong business.”