Police in Thailand Form New ‘Special’ Monkey Enforcement Unit

A special police team has been developed to apprehend aggressive macaque monkey’s that are causing problems for residents in Lopburi, Thailand. Pol Maj Gen Apirak Vetkanchana, chief of the Lop Buri Provincial Police, the superintendent of the Tha Hin Police, to establish a macaque monkey suppression team, which began operations on Monday.

Pol Major General Apirak sanctioned the purchase of slingshots for police officers to use against hostile macaque monkeys.

Previously, police would shoot monkeys with sedatives, but the animals needed at least five minutes to become sedated. By that point, they could have fled to other locations, including the tops of buildings, which could endanger humans.

Local people provided excellent feedback on the first day of operations.

The move comes after the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry decided on Saturday to pay victims mauled by macaques in Lop Buri, including at least three major incidences this month.

More than ten personnel from Saraburi’s Wildlife Conservation Office 1 have been assigned to deal with monkeys outside the Provincial Agriculture and Cooperatives Office on Ratchadamnoen Road in Tambon Tha Hin, where monkeys steal goods from passers-by.

Officials set up cages throughout the region, trapping nine monkeys on Monday and another seven on Tuesday.

Sutthipong Kaemtubtim, wildlife conservation director, stated that 18 captured monkeys were sent to a wildlife facility in Saraburi for health checks. They will subsequently be moved to a suitable location for around two months before being returned to Lop Buri.

The Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) is looking for a solution to the monkey problem, such as putting them in zoos.

On Wednesday, DNP officers installed cages along Ratchadamnoen Road and captured five more monkeys.

Monkey Attack Compensation

Monkeys have been a source of concern for Lop Buri inhabitants for long years, with a recent research estimating a wild population of 5,709 in the province by 2023. The Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act provides protection for macaques.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation announced on March 24 that Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwon, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, had already written his signature to approve the new laws, which went into effect last week.

Compensation was set at B100,000 for each death, paralysis, or loss of both eyes, limbs, or legs. According to the Bangkok Post, the compensation for the loss of one eye, arm, or limb is B50,000.

Other injuries will be compensated based on their severity, with a maximum of B30,000.

Those injured would also receive daily compensation of up to B300 for a maximum of 180 days while they recover.
Compensation is provided to anyone who have been attacked by monkeys, elephants, gaurs, or bears.

The new prohibitions come in the wake of a recent series of injuries caused by macaques assaulting people in Lopburi province, where many wild monkeys coexist with humans.

On March 8, a woman who was injured when she was assaulted by macaques filed a complaint with police in order to receive compensation for her medical treatment.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation announced plans to relocate aggressive monkeys from Lopburi’s urban areas to cages in the same province and Nakhon Nayok. It stated that monkeys may get hostile if they lack food during the hot season.