What drew you to taxidermy?
I am such an animal lover. At home, I have dogs, cats, hedgehogs and parrots. One day, my beloved parrot passed away. So, of course, I didn’t want to bury him or leave him behind somewhere. That was when I was studying at Kasetsart University, and my senior suggested I take a class named museum collections, which also taught aspects of animal preservation. I finished the class, and luckily the teacher realized how much I was fond of animals, so he introduced me to taxidermy.
Where do you source your animals?
I would never kill an animal—that is my promise. I get dogs and cats from their owners. Others come from zoos and farms: cows, buffalos, alpacas, monkeys, raccoons, foxes, even a giraffe. I also get many owls and monitor lizards along the road. I always travel prepared with bin bags and an ice box. Most clients are businesspeople who would like to display these animals at their office. Others hear about me from veterinary hospitals such as Kaset Animal Hospital and Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Kamphaeng Saen.
What's the most exotic animal you have worked on?
A few years ago, the owner of huge fishing vessel in Pattani brough me a three-meter oarfish. One of these fish this long is really rare. Even the Department of Fisheries only has a 30-centimeter one in its possession. I'll probably never see another oarfish again in my entire life. Apart from that, there's been a one-eyed dog and a two-headed cow, which lived only seven days. Of course, it was covered in powder from the people who worshipped it before it came to me.
Which is the most difficult job you've ever done?
Actually, all jobs are difficult in their own way, whether the animal is big or small. For example, working on giraffe consumed a lot of time, but a thumb-sized bird requires a lot of concentration to detail, too.
How much do you charge?
It depends on the job. A little bird starts at around B1,000; a giraffe is closer to B70,000.
Have you had any memorable clients?
There was once this old couple riding a pick-up truck who asked me to preserve their dead dog, but they didn’t have any money. They told me their children had left them alone a long time ago, so the dog was all they had. In the end, I did the job for them for free.
Does working with dead animals make you contemplate life?
I’m glad I can help people in their time of grieving. Humans and animals are the same in many ways. Doing this job helps me overcome my fear of death, as I come face-to-face with it every day.
