Bangkok, "Pacharawat" signs an announcement from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment appointing officials of local administrative organizations. Become an official in accordance with the Wild Animal Preservation and Protection Act 2019, unlocking support in solving the problem of "Lopburi monkeys" which are protected wild animals that cause distress to the people. National Park Department Confirming that they will be transferred as soon as the Lopburi Municipality has finished renovating the cages. Expected to be implemented in mid-May. Pol. Gen. Patcharawat Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, signed the announcement of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment regarding the appointment of officials in accordance with the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, B.E. 2019, No. 2, with the content It is important to appoint officials under the provincial administrative organization, municipality, sub-district administrative organization o r Pattaya City as officials according to the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, B.E. 2019, with duties and authority to solve the problem of protected wildlife. Create distress for the people within the area of ??responsibility by issuing an announcement on April 23, 2024 and effective from the announcement in the Royal Gazette. 'Mercedes macaques' are protected wild animals according to the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act of 2019. Catching and hunting are prohibited. Therefore, the announcement of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. This unlocks the door for Lopburi Municipality officials to be able to fully support and solve the "Lopburi Monkey" problem. Both helping to capture and move and providing a budget to care for monkeys in the Pho Kao Ton Monkey Nursery. Mueang Lopburi District Lopburi Province Mr. Phadet Laithong, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Office, said Was assigned by Mr. Atthaphon Charoenchansa, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wil dlife and Plant Conservation, to hold a meeting to practice understanding with Lopburi Municipality. Including all officials according to the plan to capture and relocate the Lopburi monkeys. Lopburi Municipality is currently rushing to complete the renovation of the shelter cages at the Monkey Nursery (Monkey Park), Pho Kao Ton Subdistrict. As soon as the municipality improves the cages to accommodate the monkeys, National Park Department We will mobilize officials to immediately move them to solve the problems of the people. In the first phase, there will be three monkey cages at the Bodhi Kao Ton Monkey Nursery, which was a cage that was built a long time ago. But it is necessary to improve the connection lines of the strong steel mesh. The Lopburi Municipality expects that the third cage, which is the innermost one, will be completed first. Around the middle of May National Park Department Set up a plan to trap and move monkeys in Lopburi Municipality for the first time with the goal of capturing 200 - 300 monkeys. The implementation period will be 4 days, with large cages prepared to be placed at 2 locations: - In front of Asia Hotel, cage size is 1.80 meters wide, 1.80 meters high, 12 meters long. - In the area of ??Seng Heng shop, the cage size is width 1.80 meters, height 1.80 meters, length 15 meters. All monkeys captured will be health checked and sterilized. before being moved to be cared for at the Pho Kao Ton Monkey Nursery As for macaques in the old city of Lopburi, there are 2,206 macaques after starting to catch monkeys at the first point. 200 - 300 monkeys in the area of ??Asia Hotel and Seng Heng Shop. When Lopburi Municipality completes the renovation of the remaining two cages, 300 additional monkeys will be caught in front and behind Chayowanich Shop, as well as 237 monkeys at Manohra Market, with the remaining 1,400 monkeys. It will be carried out in phase 2 because we have to wait and wait for improvements to the support facilities both at the Pho Kao Ton Monkey Shelter. Including may be used at Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu and other places. More are being procured by Phase 2, which is expected to be done in 2025. In Phase 2, there is a plan to move 1,000 monkeys at Phra Prang Sam Yot, 300 at Phra Kan Shrine, and 100 in vans. It is certain that if Carrying out as planned in Phase 2, the Lopburi monkey problem will end. It will then be used as a model for operations in other areas where there are conflicts between humans and monkeys. From March 25, the National Park Service Thirty-seven monkeys in Lopburi have been transferred, selecting 37 monkeys with aggressive behavior or ringleaders, of which 15 were taken to be cared for at Lopburi Zoo, another 22 were taken to be cared for at a wildlife clinic. Conservation Area Administration Office 1 or Conservation Area Administration Office 1, Saraburi Branch, veterinarians, health check and sterilization. If the cages at the Bodhi Kao Ton Monkey Nursery are completed, they will be moved there to take care of them. There are 292 areas with conflicts be tween humans and monkeys nationwide, covering 52 provinces. It is estimated that there are 68,960 monkeys causing problems nationwide, with the province with the most severe situation being Lopburi. From a survey of the monkey population in Lopburi Province in 2018, 9,324 were found. In 2023, 5,709 were found. Only in the Lopburi Municipality area there were 2,206. The National Park Department has continuously sterilized both male and female monkeys since. From 2014 until now, 5,135 monkeys in Lopburi Province have been sterilized, of which 2,757 monkeys are in Lopburi Municipality. In catching and moving monkeys Won't catch them all. But the National Park Department will be integrated with various sectors To properly manage both the population and living conditions according to academic principles Director of the Wildlife Conservation Office said that on April 28, the Director-General of the National Parks Department Will go to oversee the second capture of monkeys in Phetchaburi Province in the Phra Nakh on Khiri (Khao Wang) area. The first capture was on December 27, 2023 by the National Park Department. Together with the Phetchaburi Provincial Public Sector Network and the Wildlife Friends Foundation, the project to solve the problem of monkey overpopulation in Phetchaburi captured 204 monkeys and took care of them at the Huai Sai Wildlife Breeding Station, Cha-am District, Phetchaburi Province. According to the project which was created as a model for solving conflicts between humans and monkeys in Phetchaburi Province, Wildlife Friends Foundation supports the decoration of monkey nursery cages. By creating toys and play equipment (Enrichment) to reduce stress. Enhance quality of life and allowing the captured macaques to display natural behavior. Source: Thai News Agency