A marauding army of about 3,500 monkeys has attacked a city center in Thailand, stranding tourists and forcing businesses to close, according to reports.
The monkeys have become such a big problem that the popular town of Lopburi is at risk of becoming a ghost town as Chinese investors withhold their money until the issue is addressed, according to the South China Post.
Several companies and shops have closed their operations and fled the once-thriving trade center as local monkeys harassed customers and destroyed businesses, according to the report.
Surachat Chanprasit, deputy of Pingya Shopping Center, told the Thai branch of Khaosod that monkeys often enter the shopping center to climb and disturb customers who come to shop.
Small business owners who rent space to sell their goods often have to repair roofs, windows and other damages every month. The mall was sold two years ago but there was no buyer.
About 3,500 monkeys have taken over Thailand’s once popular tourist destination. Chaiwat Subprasom/SOPA Images/Shutterstock Monkeys have forced several businesses to close, according to reports. Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/SOPA/Shutterstock
“Previously, a Chinese investor visited the area to check the feasibility of investment,” Surachat said.
“However, when the investor realized that the problem of the monkey population threatening the heart of the city has not been resolved, he postponed the investment forever,” he added.
The Lopburi Chamber of Commerce said the city center, once the main business district, is now deserted and crumbling, Khaosod reported.
The organization has blamed that the city’s building laws, which limit the height of buildings and preserve their history, add to the monkey problem.
Business has almost completely dried up in the area opposite the Phra Prang Sam Yot historical monument, according to the outlet.
Monkeys receive eggs during the annual Monkey Festival in Lopburi. Reuters
Chairman of the House Pongsatorn Chaichanapanich said he thinks the law needs to be changed to enable the management of monkeys in urban areas to save the city’s economy.
“The government needs to make a decision at a basic level how it will develop Lopburi as a historical city with many historical sites and how the government will help promote tourism in the region and attract more tourists,” he said.
Monkeys used to be an important part of the city’s tourism business before they started destroying it, as tourists would visit to feed and interact with the monkeys at historic sites.
An annual monkey festival is also held in the region to thank the animals for bringing people to Lopburi, according to the South China Post.
Monkeys used to attract tourists, but now seem to keep them away. Reuters
But in recent years there have been increasing issues with simians. In 2020, hundreds of macaques from two rival monkey groups were filmed fighting each other on the streets of Lopburi.
Local officials have tried to maintain the primate population with a mass sterilization program, but the starving monkeys have survived.
Government officials in the region are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to jointly find a solution to the monkey problem.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
