A market in Thailand sells turtles and meerkats - like the live animals smuggled onto a plane last week.

Shocking footage shows the rare wildlife being hawked to tourists at the Chatuchak market in Bangkok.

Stalls sell prairie dogs, turtles, meerkats, sugar gliders, tortoises and other rare creatures.

The tourist who was caught with smuggled animals when a rat and otter escaped from her luggage is believed to have bought some of her haul from the controversial market.

Shocked passengers noticed the giant albino rodent when they walked to the bathroom on the Viet Jet Airbus A320 flying from Bangkok to Taiwan on Wednesday, October 3.

Bungling airport chiefs later admitted that its security staff had noticed live animals in the passenger's hand luggage - but waved through the bags on the conveyor belt.

A guard has been suspended while police grill him to find out if he had taken a bribe in order to let the bag pass through.