More than 1,000 animals were killed in a fire that swept through the pet zone of Bangkok's most famous outdoor market, prompting animal welfare experts to call for a crackdown on the sale of wildlife in Thailand. 

The fire broke out on Tuesday morning and burned through about 1,300 square meters of the Chatuchak Weekend Market, killing puppies, cats, fish, snakes, swans, cockatoos, and rabbits inside their cages. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt.

Police Superintendent Phuwadon Ounpho reported that around 118 shops were burned down by what preliminary reports suggest was triggered by an electrical fault. 

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The market is one of the largest in Southeast Asia and attracts tourists from across the world to its shops, which sell anything from plants and ceramics to food and clothes.

Regulating wild animal sales

It is worth noting that conservationists accused the market's pet section of selling endangered species and keeping animals in poor conditions. 

Lek Chailert, Founder of Save Elephant Foundation, said Tuesday’s fire highlighted the need to improve animal welfare and regulate breeding. “We need to ask how these animals ended up in such dire conditions,” she said in a statement.

“I call on the government to respond transparently and implement measures to regulate the breeding and sale of wild animals in markets. There must be clear laws governing international animal trade and protecting animal welfare in Thailand,” she said

Edwin Wick, founder and director of the Friends of Wildlife Foundation, said the market was "a shame on the city of Bangkok."

"It has been allowed to continue selling animals unethically and often illegally for far too long. We are urging the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to act now and stop this place from selling animals, particularly wild animals," said Wick.