The news came at a meeting at The Governor’s House this morning (June 12), where Governor Norraphat Plodthong was brought up to speed on the results of the surveys which asked residents what they wanted to be done with troupes of wild monkeys in their areas. (See story here.)
The communities at the monkey-endowed areas of Koh Siray, Khao Rang and Khao Toh Sae all called to allow the wild monkeys to remain in those areas.
However, residents in Soi Tha Jeen and in Soi King Kaew called for the monkeys to be removed.
To this, a senior official involved in the project confirmed to The Phuket News’ Thai-language sister- newspaper Khao Phuket today that monkeys in those two locations will be moved to separate islands off Phuket’s east coast, namely Koh Payu and Koh Ngam.
“The monkeys will be removed from these areas because they create problems for the local residents,” the official said.
“They will be moved to separate islands as two different troupes cannot be kept on the same island. The islands selected are not protected by law, but no construction will be allowed,” he added.
Gov Norraphat this morning assigned the Phuket office of the Natural Resources and the Environment and relevant agencies to start drafting plans to make sure the island relocation could be done smoothly.
The official also confirmed that cages to trap monkeys were placed at Baan Yamu today so that the mass sterilisation could begin on Thursday (June 14).
“Residents in all areas surveyed asked for the monkeys in their areas to be sterilised,” the official confirmed.
Cages to catch monkeys will be placed as follows:
1. Baan Yamu, cages placed today and tomorrow (June 12-13), sterilisation to be conducted at a location near Bang Pae Waterfall on Thursday (June 14).
2. Baan Bang Rong, cages placed today and tomorrow (June 12-13), sterilisation to be conducted at the same location on Friday (June 15).
3. Soi Kingkaew, Rassada, cages placed on Thursday (June 14), sterilisation at the Phuket City Meeting Hall on Saturday-Sunday (June 16-17).
4. Soi Tah Jeen, cages placed on Thursday (June 14), sterilisation at the Phuket City Meeting Hall next Monday (June 18).
5. Koh Siray, cages placed on on Saturday-Sunday (June 16-17), sterilisation at the Phuket City Meeting Hall next Tuesday and Wednesday (June 19-20).
Signs have been posted in the areas already.