Wildlife officials have begun relocating 137 tigers from Thailand's famous Tiger Temple after allegations of illegal trafficking and mistreatment.
Dozens of tourists, including Australians, were inside the temple complex at a Buddhist monastery in western Kanchanaburi province immediately before officials tranquillised the first three tigers and put them in cages late on Monday. Hundreds of police and soldiers were in a tense stand-off before a provincial court issued an order for the tigers to be seized. 
Supittapong Pakcharung, chairman of the foundation which oversees the tigers, threatened to take action against anyone who trespassed in the temple grounds, including security and wildlife officers, Thai media reported.
Temple staff released at least 10 tigers from cages into a restricted area to complicate wildlife officials reaching still caged tigers, witnesses said.
The temple is a popular destination for Australian tourists, earning $US5.7 million a year in ticket sales alone. A $US17 ticket entitles visitors to walk a leashed tiger and pose with a chained tiger.
A more involved encounter where tourists can have breakfast with monks, play with cubs and wash and hand-feed tigers costs more than $US120.
Thailand's government has been trying to shut down the attraction for months.
The temple has been accused of being involved in the wildlife trade for almost a decade but police investigations have made little progress.
Monks who live in the temple grounds deny abusing or trafficking the tigers and promote the temple as a place where tigers coexist with humans in Buddhist harmony. Some monks say certain tigers are reincarnated monks or relatives.
A year ago temple supporters barricaded the entrance to prevent government officials entering, but following court orders five tigers were taken away in   January and another five in   February.
The tigers are supposed to have microchips implanted in them, however a long-time veterinarian at the temple revealed microchips had been cut out of three adult male tigers which disappeared in   December 2014, the Bangkok Post reported.