Viral video of lone zoo spectator brings crowds back to Samut Prakan attraction

One spectator sat through an elephant show at a nearly empty zoo. Within days, the image had helped turn the struggling attraction into a social-media sensation.

The video, posted on TikTok on Aug. 28 by user “ATOMISATOM,” showed the show continuing despite the empty auditorium. Its caption read, “They continue the show, even if there is only one person watching.” By Monday, the video had attracted more than 5 million views.

The response was immediate. Images shared during the following week showed sold-out crocodile and elephant performances, while vehicles queued to enter the Samutprakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo in Muang district. The zoo’s Facebook page filled with messages from people promising to visit, and the attraction scheduled additional crocodile-catching shows for the crowds.

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They continue the show, even if there is only one person watching.

Established in 1950, the farm had suffered a severe decline after the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to close for four years. Director Charoon Youngprapakorn, who took the post in 2024, said the business survived by maintaining operations, even as the facilities deteriorated. It reopened in April 2024, but visitor numbers remained below expectations.

The provincial travel website says the facility houses about 60,000 crocodiles, along with elephants, tigers, hippos, capybaras and horses. The zoo thanked Atom and the public for supporting its staff and animals, while many described the revival as evidence of social media’s power.

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Thank you Khun Atom [the TikTok user] for causing this great change so an old zoo can move forward...Thank you everyone for your support sent to the staff members and animals through every channel,