Meta’s Bangkok Office Faces Unplanned Squirrel Incident

Meta’s year so far hasn’t exactly been a picnic. Nonetheless, a curious squirrel managed to enter one of the company’s Bangkok offices this week, bringing an unexpected moment of levity to the staff.

A squirrel apparently escaped into a building in Bangkok, Thailand, where some of the tech giant’s regional teams are based. According to an internal memo seen by WIRED, the animal darted around the office for at least 20 minutes before unintentionally scratching a janitor and was eventually captured.

Despite the unsettling nature of the incident, the squirrel’s brief rampage provided a rare humor boost for Meta employees worldwide, who have been grappling with recent restructurings, layoffs, and controversy over an AI training initiative that uses employee data without consent. Company leaders have publicly recognized the morale dip and are reportedly addressing it through initiatives such as social outings and improvements to office amenities, according to insiders and internal communications.

Over the past few years, Meta employees have expressed dissatisfaction with the reduction of healthy snacks, particularly nuts, in favor of less nutritious alternatives like chips. It remains unclear whether the Bangkok intruder found any of these offerings to its liking.

The squirrel was initially delivered to the office inside a package, but it managed to escape, according to the memo. A janitor employed by a cleaning contractor accepted the package. The memo provided no explanation for why the squirrel was being delivered or its current whereabouts, though the note referenced that squirrels are sometimes kept as pets or used for food in certain contexts.

Meta declined to comment on the incident.

The janitor, who sustained a minor finger scratch, was provided first aid and subsequently evaluated at a hospital, the memo notes. The individual identified as responsible for introducing the squirrel into the building formally admitted to a violation, pledged to follow office protocols, and vowed to prevent a recurrence.

New York Times journalist Mike Isaac first disclosed the episode on Tuesday via a social media post, omitting details about the location and the janitor’s employment role. He noted that “employees are predictably having a field day with it internally,” and highlighted that one staff member produced an AI-generated video parodying an HR training module on squirrel-related office etiquette.

In a tongue‑in‑cheek aside, it was suggested that squirrels seeking refuge within Meta’s broader portfolio might have better prospects in Hawaii, where CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s personal livestock are noted to consume home‑brewed beer and macadamia nuts.

Additional reporting by Lauren Goode.

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