[wildtrade] Lao PDR: Monkey meat... is this for real?

[vern weitzel]

From: Moderator <laofab at gmail.com>
Date: 2 September 2010 1:50:10 PM PDT
To: LaoFAB <laofab at googlegroups.com>
Subject: [LaoFAB] Monkey meat... is this for real?
Reply-To: laofab at googlegroups.com

A bizarre report on a Thai website states that "Monkey meat is
considered somewhat of a delicacy in Laos" and is being brought into
the country via Nong Khai.  Surely not?

*Lucrative ‘Monkey Meat’ Operation Revealed in Drug Raid*

Pattaya Daily News, 02 Dep 2010

A standard narcotics investigation in the central Thai province of
Ratchaburi Wednesday has uncovered an endangered and protected species
smuggling operation between Laos and Thailand. The drug using
offenders had contained numerous crab-eating macaques, which had been
cruelly beaten and restrained live in plastic bags.

Ratchaburi, the 1st of September 2010: Initially investigating a drug
using gang of teenagers, officers from the Baan Pong Police Station
and Narcotics Control Board, raided a premises in the area, arresting
multiple youths on numerous drug usage and possession charges.

However, during police investigations, officers noticed a strange
collection of ‘moving’ plastic bags contained inside a large cage at
the rear of the premises. Having detained the offenders, police
discovered that the plastic bags contained live crab-eating macaques
that had been cruelly beaten, restrained and showed signs of
starvation. In total, 15 primates were found inside the enclosure.

Under interrogation, Mr. Thanakorn Paenphol [29], the house owner,
confessed to having used drugs regularly at his house with friends,
but claimed that the abused macaques belonged to another man, Mr.
Anucha Selaluk, his brother-in-law.

Allegedly, Mr. Selaluk is involved with a lucrative trade of ‘monkey
meat’ between Thailand and Laos. He reportedly hired youths to catch
the native crab-eating macaques before transporting them to the border
province of Nong Khai were they would be sold in Laos for over Bt1,500
each. ‘Monkey meat’ is considered somewhat of a delicacy in Laos along
with other endangered or protected species such as anteater.

The youths, some of which were arrested on drug charges, are
reportedly paid up to Bt800 per captured monkey, collecting
approximately 30 before they are transported for sale to buyers at the
Thai-Laos border.

Officers have now remanded all the offenders in custody pending
further investigations into the illegal operation and the apprehension
of Mr. Selaluk. The captive animals have now been handed over to
Animal & Forestry officials who will re-release them into the wild
once nursed back to health.

Source (with photos): http://bit.ly/aJEsjn

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and Knowledge (CLICK)
For membership enquiries, write direct to LaoFAB at gmail.com


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