Four adorable tiger cubs were recovering today after being rescued from smugglers in Thailand.The two-month-old siblings were found locked in cages on the back of a pickup truck travelling from Ubon Ratchathani in the northeast of the country on November 15.Wildlife officers tracking the alleged smugglers gathered intelligence pointing to buyers in Laos and Vietnam who planned to take the tiger cubs to gangs in China.However, police intercepted the vehicle in Mukdahan province where they arrested the driver, Thanat, 63, who now faces up to 10 years in prison for allegedly trading in protected animals.The tiger cubs have been taken into care, where they will be looked after until they grow fangs allowing them to eat meat unaided. They will then be transferred to a wildlife sanctuary.Footage shows the baby tigers playing with a wildlife ranger on Friday, November 18. Staff have named the animals - two boys and two girls - Mukda, Sawan, Kam Kong and Kam Dan.Dr Kacharin Ratchasin, the vet caring for them at the Wildlife Conservation Division Office of Conservation Area 9 Ubon Ratchathani, said: 'Their overall behaviour is good and they are cheerful. They have normal body temperatures and they are healthy.'We have to feed them every two or three hours and monitor them closely. We have lots of milk for them, so they are happy.'Officers from the Crime Suppression Division for Natural Resources and Environment said they tracked the wildlife smuggling gang for several weeks. They believe the tigers had been illegally bred and raised in captivity. They took the suspect Thanat Wongsan, 63, to the police station for further questioning.He now faces up to five years in prison for 'possession of protected wild animals without permission'. While the more serious offence of 'trading in protected wildlife without permission' carries a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of 1,000,000 THB (28,116 USD / 23,792 GBP).A spokesman said: 'A team of officers from multiple divisions arrested the suspect. He was found with four tiger cubs, all two months old. They were two male and two female babies.'The suspect had incriminating equipment including two travel baskets, one mobile phone, and a Toyota pickup truck. The equipment was seized.'The accused suspect will be detained and questioned by police officers. There is a strong consensus that he was trading in endangered wildlife.'Environment officials claim that Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia where the tiger popularity is rising. There are an estimated 148 to 149 tigers in the forests.Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said: 'We have had success in improving their habitation areas by using the latest technology and the smart patrol systems. Thailand's tiger conservation and population recovery plans are certified by international standards.'