The National Park Department confirms that they will definitely not capture Lopburi monkeys and release them into the Khao Yai forest.

Bangkok, The National Park Department is preparing to launch an operation to capture 'Monkey Muang Kao' Lopburi Province alleviates the suffering of people after the Songkran festival. In the meantime, a large shelter cage is being prepared. To prepare to move the captured monkeys to be cared for in the monkey nursery (Monkey Park), Pho Kao Ton Subdistrict, Mueang Lop Buri District. Mr. Phadet Laithong, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Office The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said: The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment through the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation is rushing to coordinate with Lopburi Municipality to improve the monkey shelter at Lopburi Monkey Park. Pho Kao Ton Subdistrict Mueang Lopburi District to be used as a kindergarten. 'Old City Monkeys' in Lopburi Province. In Phase 1 there will be 3 cages. It is expected that 1 cage will be completed around mid-April. For the other 2 cages, Lopburi Municipality will exped ite the process and complete them by May 2024, then after Songkran Festival will begin a monkey catching operation to relieve the suffering of the people in Lopburi Province as soon as possible. The part that has news that It will be released in nature in Nakhon Nayok Province or Khao Yai National Park. Definitely not true. Previously, the Wildlife Conservation Office had considered moving them to a nursery at the Wildlife Rescue Center No. 1 (Nakhon Nayok), which is in Khao Yai National Park. But since there are more than 2,000 monkeys in the nursery, it is already crowded so they will not be taken. At this time, the captured monkeys have not been moved out of Lopburi Province. As for the measures that allow officials from the Office of Conservation Area Administration No. 1, Saraburi Branch, to capture monkeys with aggressive behavior by shooting them with tranquilizers or placing small cages to trap them individually.? It is to provide basic assistance to the people while waiting for the monkey shelter c age in the Bodhi Kao Ton area (Phase 1) only. When the cage is ready, forces will be mobilized to capture and move the monkeys into the cage. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has already discussed plans to capture and move the monkeys with Lopburi Municipality. All monkeys captured and kept at the monkey shelter must be sterilized first. Most recently Pol.Gen. Patcharawat Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, ordered the establishment. 'Lopburi Monkey Capture Operations Center' by Mr. Atthaphon Charoenchansa, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, will announce details of the operation tomorrow (3 April 2024) at 11:00 a.m. As for the practice of catching Lopburi monkeys, it began after on February 7, 2024, the Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation made a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for academic cooperation to solve the monkey pro blem in the Old City area. Mueang Lopburi District Lopburi Province Together with Mr. Chamroen Salachip, Mayor of Lopburi City, with the objective of relieving the suffering of the people as the conflict between humans and monkeys intensifies due to the rapid increase in the monkey population. But the monkey's habitat has decreased. It was put to good use to build a residence. Make it an agricultural area Including climate change and drought, the amount of food and water in natural forests decreases. From a survey of the monkey population in the area of ??Lopburi Province in 2018, 9,324 were found. In 2023, there were 5,709, only in the Lopburi Municipality area there were 2,206. The National Park Department has continuously sterilized both male and female monkeys since 2014. Until now, 5,135 monkeys in Lopburi Province have been sterilized, including 2,757 monkeys in Lopburi Municipality, but are still stuck with the law because "Medical macaques" are protected wildlife according to the law. The Wild Anima l Preservation and Protection Act 2019 prohibits catching and hunting. Therefore, making an agreement between them will unlock the door for integration to solve the Lopburi monkey problem. For agreements made together Conforms to academic principles Building a monkey shelter To adjust monkey behavior And the monkeys that had been sterilized were placed in the monkey shelter cage. The place of care is Monkey Nursery (Monkey Park), Pho Kao Ton Subdistrict Mueang Lopburi District Lopburi Province. Source: Thai News Agency