BANGKOK (ANN/THE NATION) – A 50-year-old woman in Ratchaburi’s Ban Pong district spent around THB6 million to clone a dog she loved and considered her child.
A female French bulldog named Paphaeng, now five months old, is Thailand’s first cloned dog. Despite a slight difference in the left ear pattern, she appears healthy and cheerful.
Kancharat Sakdikonthanasiri, Paphaeng’s owner, revealed that the original Paphaeng had died from canine Cushing’s syndrome. She then contacted Supasek Sarachitti, a stem cell expert known for successfully cloning dogs.
Supasek agreed but set two conditions: Kancharat had to appoint someone to care for the cloned dog after her passing and be prepared for criticism about cloning being unnatural.
Kancharat included the cloned dog and her 16 other dogs in her will. She acknowledged that while the cloning process cost THB6 million, she valued the emotional bond over money.
“Paphaeng gave me strength to fight through life’s struggles,” she said.
Supasek collected cells from the original Paphaeng’s ear and sent them to South Korea, where cloning expert Hwang Woo-Suk successfully cloned the dog after five attempts throughout a year.
The cost included cloning and genetic modification, with the latter alone surpassing THB20 million. Nonetheless, Hwang waived the genetic modification fee upon witnessing Kancharat’s deep attachment to Paphaeng.
When the cloned Paphaeng met Kancharat at four months old, she gazed at her owner before displaying signs of recognition. To Kancharat’s amazement, the cloned dog understood Thai commands.
This corresponds with the doctor’s comment that cloned dogs will not only share the same shape, colour, and gender, but may also retain memories—except for their body markings, which might vary.
Kancharat acknowledged criticism about cloning being unnatural but sees it as a scientific advancement that reunited her with her beloved pet without harming others.
As for the original Paphaeng’s remains, Kancharat has preserved them in refrigeration and plans to bury them at her home when the time comes.
