BANGKOK. After years of grappling with human-monkey conflicts, Thai wildlife officials presented a comprehensive plan on Wednesday to restore peace to the central Thai city of Lopburi, which has been besieged by macaque mayhem for over a decade.
The macaques of Lopburi, revered as symbols of local culture and a major tourist attraction, have increasingly become a source of tension. Numerous attempts to control their population and mitigate conflicts have failed, prompting residents and businesses to demand action.
Incidents of macaques snatching food from humans have escalated, leading to dangerous encounters resulting in injuries. Recent events, including a woman dislocating her knee after being pulled by a monkey and a man knocked off his motorcycle by a hungry primate, have sparked outrage and underscored the urgency for intervention.
Athapol Charoenshunsa, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, outlined the strategy during a press conference in Bangkok. The plan involves rounding up approximately 2,500 urban monkeys and relocating them to massive enclosures. However, a limited number will remain free within the city, under the supervision of wildlife experts.
“I don’t want humans to have to hurt monkeys, and I don’t want monkeys to have to hurt humans,” stated Athapol, emphasizing the need for a humane resolution to the conflict.
A monkey-catching campaign has already commenced, targeting the more aggressive alpha males. Thirty-seven monkeys have been captured thus far, with most transferred to wildlife authorities in the neighboring province of Saraburi, while others were relocated to the Lopburi zoo.
Once enclosures are completed, authorities plan to capture the remaining monkeys, especially those in residential areas, and allocate separate cages for different troops to prevent conflicts.
Anticipating swift resolution, Athapol expects the first phase to commence within weeks, assuring that the enclosures will effectively contain thousands of monkeys.
Lopburi, located 140 kilometers north of Bangkok, boasts a rich cultural heritage intertwined with its resident macaques. However, the escalating conflicts have prompted calls for action, with some attributing the issue to human feeding habits that attracted and accustomed monkeys to seeking food from humans.
Despite previous efforts to limit feeding, which inadvertently exacerbated tensions, authorities acknowledge the need for a more comprehensive approach. Phadej Laithong, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Office, stressed the importance of adapting to coexist with the city’s monkeys, recognizing the role of habitat destruction in prompting their search for food.
Previous population control measures, including neutering, have proven insufficient, prompting authorities to explore more effective solutions. With similar issues reported across numerous provinces, efforts to address human-monkey conflicts extend beyond Lopburi to other regions facing similar challenges.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
