Thai monkey trainer rejects PETA claims on coconut harvesting

[rooster59]

Thai monkey trainer rejects PETA claims on coconut harvesting

By Chayut Setboonsarng

 

Nirun Wongwanich, 52, a monkey trainer, sits next to a monkey during a training session at a monkey school for coconut harvest in Surat Thani province, Thailand July 10, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A monkey trainer in southern Thailand said on Saturday that few monkeys are involved in harvesting coconuts for export, disputing an activist report which has caused several British supermarkets to ban coconut products from the country.

 

Nirun Wongwanich, 52, who trains monkeys to fetch coconuts at a "monkey school" in the province of Surat Thani, said most coconuts used for export are harvested by humans with poles.

 

Only a few farms in the south use monkeys for taller coconut trees, he said, denying accusations of cruelty.

 

"There is no truth to that. I have been with monkeys for over 30 years ... I have a bond, a relationship with them," Nirun told Reuters, adding that he trains six to seven monkeys a year.

 

Earlier this month several British retailers pulled Thai coconut products from their shelves after a report by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) alleged that coconuts in Thailand are picked by abused monkeys.

 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's fiancée Carrie Symonds called on other supermarkets to follow suit. "Glad Waitrose, Co-op, Boots & Ocado <OCDO.L> have vowed not to sell products that use monkey labour, while Morrisons <MRW.L> has already removed these from its stores," she tweeted.

 

PETA has said it believes virtually all coconuts from Thailand are picked by monkeys.

 

However, Thailand's government has denied the PETA report, saying the use of monkey labour is "almost non-existent".

 

Mananya Thaiset, Thai deputy minister of agriculture, said Thailand’s 200,000 coconut growers overwhelmingly use human labour and machines for harvesting.

 

"Even all the monkeys in the entire forest won't be enough for the industry," Mananya said.

 

A PETA official on Saturday rejected the Thai arguments.

 

"The industry's efforts to side-track the issue with a count of the number of farms and monkeys ... only shows the world they are trying to do more of the same – keep monkeys in chains," PETA Asia official Nirali Shah said.

 

Thailand last year produced more than 806,000 tons of coconut from 1,243.7 square kilometres (480.2 square miles), government data shows. It exported coconut milk worth 12.3 billion baht ($396 million), about 8% to Britain.

 

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and James Drummond)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-12

 

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[Phuketshrew]

Am I missing something here? Countries like the UK use and exploit animals in all sorts of ways. From horse and dog racing to donkey rides on the beach. From fox hunting hounds to animals used for testing and research of drugs and cosmetics. From rearing animals to slaughter and serve on the table. How is using monkeys to harvest coconuts any worse?  

[Curt1591]

Just now, Phuketshrew said:

Am I missing something here? Countries like the UK use and exploit animals in all sorts of ways. From horse and dog racing to donkey rides on the beach. From fox hunting hounds to animals used for testing and research of drugs and cosmetics. From rearing animals to slaughter and serve on the table. How is using monkeys to harvest coconuts any worse?  

PETA has been there; done that!

[simon43]

However, Thailand's government has denied the PETA report, saying the use of monkey labour is "almost non-existent".

 

I don't believe this statement at all.  When I lived in Phuket and Ao Nang, I saw many trucks with harvested coconuts and the obligatory monkey hanging onto the back of the truck.  I have never even heard of humans harvesting coconuts in Thailand!

 

That being said, I've no knowledge of these coconut monkeys being mistreated - so can't give an opinion.

[YetAnother]

20 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

A monkey trainer in southern Thailand said on Saturday that few monkeys are involved in harvesting coconuts for export, disputing an activist report

a thai denying criticism from non-thais; absolutely shocking !

[Yinn]

25 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's fiancée Carrie Symonds called on other supermarkets to follow suit.

 

In the UK, around 3,000 monkeys are used annually. Much of this use is to develop and test the safety and effectiveness of potential human medicines and vaccines. Primatesare also used for studying how the brain functions and in research relating to human reproduction.

 

And importing monkeys to the United States has become increasingly difficult as almost all commercial air carriers now refuse to fly the animals. Yet according to the new USDA figures, scientists used 75,825 nonhuman primates for research last year, up 22% since 2015 and 6% since 2008

 

if I the monkey I prefer be the coconut monkey, than the medical torture monkey. 

[ravip]

25 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

Am I missing something here? Countries like the UK use and exploit animals in all sorts of ways. From horse and dog racing to donkey rides on the beach. From fox hunting hounds to animals used for testing and research of drugs and cosmetics. From rearing animals to slaughter and serve on the table. How is using monkeys to harvest coconuts any worse?  

Ssssssssssssh! These things should be whispered...

[Mr Meeseeks]

31 minutes ago, Yinn said:

 

In the UK, around 3,000 monkeys are used annually. Much of this use is to develop and test the safety and effectiveness of potential human medicines and vaccines. Primatesare also used for studying how the brain functions and in research relating to human reproduction.

 

And importing monkeys to the United States has become increasingly difficult as almost all commercial air carriers now refuse to fly the animals. Yet according to the new USDA figures, scientists used 75,825 nonhuman primates for research last year, up 22% since 2015 and 6% since 2008

 

if I the monkey I prefer be the coconut monkey, than the medical torture monkey. 

Again, stop banging on about it and stop buying UK or US pharmaceuticals. 

 

Also, it's not a competition to see which country is worse. Deal with your own country's problems first. 

 

 

[Cali farong]

MLM monkeys lives matter

[simon43]

9 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Again, stop banging on about it and stop buying UK or US pharmaceuticals. 

 

Also, it's not a competition to see which country is worse. Deal with your own country's problems first. 

 

 

Sounds like Yinn hit a raw nerve with you.......

[pineapple01]

Seems You can say anything these days. Show us some Video Proof  taken by the Man next Door. I sit here having supported the Cruelty for 25 years according to her. . Well Miss La De Da, all ive seen is  Funny little Monkies that makes our Dogs behave, a social morning when folks come round, a few Beers when finished.Perhaps i should Film the next visit n send it to the Sun. No use sending it to  Giggle Nickers shes in Spain now enjoying a Bull Fight with Fiona and Prunella.

[DirtyHarry55]

2 hours ago, Yinn said:

 

In the UK, around 3,000 monkeys are used annually. Much of this use is to develop and test the safety and effectiveness of potential human medicines and vaccines. Primatesare also used for studying how the brain functions and in research relating to human reproduction.

 

And importing monkeys to the United States has become increasingly difficult as almost all commercial air carriers now refuse to fly the animals. Yet according to the new USDA figures, scientists used 75,825 nonhuman primates for research last year, up 22% since 2015 and 6% since 2008

 

if I the monkey I prefer be the coconut monkey, than the medical torture monkey. 

Hi there Monkeys are also being used in Thailand for vaccines you know.
From the article below.
"Suvit said he was informed by Chulalongkorn University's Chula Vaccine Research Centre and the National Research Council of Thailand that the second round of testing of the mRNA vaccine on monkeys on June 22 yielded a satisfactory result."

This isn't about the Monkeys being used for working but about them being Chained up and being MISS TREATED.

and if that's the case everyone should deplore it and not defend it.
Saying that I've personally not seen monkies being used to pick Coconuts where I live they use very long Bamboo sticks with a hook on them.
I have seen them on the back of trucks full of Coconuts in the South but didn't notice if they were Chained up. Just saying.

Edited July 12, 2020 by DirtyHarry55

[ravip]

7 minutes ago, DirtyHarry55 said:

Hi there Monkeys are also being used in Thailand for vaccines you know.
From the article below.
"Suvit said he was informed by Chulalongkorn University's Chula Vaccine Research Centre and the National Research Council of Thailand that the second round of testing of the mRNA vaccine on monkeys on June 22 yielded a satisfactory result."

This isn't about the Monkeys being used for working but about them being Chained up and being MISS TREATED.

and if that's the case everyone should deplore it and not defend it.
Saying that I've personally not seen monkies being used to pick Coconuts where I live they use very long Bamboo sticks with a hook on them.
I have seen them on the back of trucks full of Coconuts in the South but didn't notice if they were Chained up. Just saying.

Is Thailand the ONLY country using animals to experiment on? Whats makes these coconut plucking monkeys so exciting?

Obviously, it is because of monkey business!

[pineapple01]

16 minutes ago, DirtyHarry55 said:

Hi there Monkeys are also being used in Thailand for vaccines you know.
From the article below.
"Suvit said he was informed by Chulalongkorn University's Chula Vaccine Research Centre and the National Research Council of Thailand that the second round of testing of the mRNA vaccine on monkeys on June 22 yielded a satisfactory result."

This isn't about the Monkeys being used for working but about them being Chained up and being MISS TREATED.

and if that's the case everyone should deplore it and not defend it.
Saying that I've personally not seen monkies being used to pick Coconuts where I live they use very long Bamboo sticks with a hook on them.
I have seen them on the back of trucks full of Coconuts in the South but didn't notice if they were Chained up. Just saying.

Never seen them Chained either. Never seen one run away. At the Traffic Lights they swig water like Me.

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

Sounds like Yinn hit a raw nerve with you.......

Hardly.

 

Just sick of her constant deflection posts and lack of condemnation of anything Thai.

[DirtyHarry55]

5 minutes ago, pineapple01 said:

Never seen them Chained either. Never seen one run away. At the Traffic Lights they swig water like Me.

Where I live the Coconut farms don't use Monkeys they use long Bamboo Poles but the Coconut Trees aren't that tall either.

[spiekerjozef]

Another "lose face" story so denial is your answer.

[Misterwhisper]

Instead of raising a hypocritical ruckus about a handful of coconut-harvesting monkeys in Thailand as if it were the animal cruelty offence of the century, PETA perhaps should turn their attention to those countless pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry testing labs scattered across the UK and indeed the rest of the world where thousands over thousands of animals are tortured every single day.

[DirtyHarry55]

12 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

Instead of raising a hypocritical ruckus about a handful of coconut-harvesting monkeys in Thailand as if it were the animal cruelty offence of the century, PETA perhaps should turn their attention to those countless pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry testing labs scattered across the UK and indeed the rest of the world where thousands over thousands of animals are tortured every single day.

They also use Monkeys in Thailand for medical experiments that doesn't make it OK but without it we wouldn't have any Vaccines or Medicines.
But that doesn't give the green light for everyone to be Cruel to Animals does it?
 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2020 by DirtyHarry55

[Geoffggi]

3 hours ago, Yinn said:

 

In the UK, around 3,000 monkeys are used annually. Much of this use is to develop and test the safety and effectiveness of potential human medicines and vaccines. Primatesare also used for studying how the brain functions and in research relating to human reproduction.

 

And importing monkeys to the United States has become increasingly difficult as almost all commercial air carriers now refuse to fly the animals. Yet according to the new USDA figures, scientists used 75,825 nonhuman primates for research last year, up 22% since 2015 and 6% since 2008

 

if I the monkey I prefer be the coconut monkey, than the medical torture monkey. 

Please give the full story, Thailand has also just stated that they have completed trials of CV-19 on Monkeys and hope to commence human trials in the near future ................!!!!

[holy cow cm]

Although I am for ethical treatment for animals which in almost every part of the food industry is extremely not happening, PETA has a history for having some real whack jobs working in their organization. I think for sure there is some mistreatment of monkeys as it is not all lolly pops and sunshine, but then how bad and wide spread can it be? I don’t buy It is the whole industry.  
 

 

[smedly]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Nirun Wongwanich, 52, a monkey trainer, sits next to a monkey during a training session at a monkey school for coconut harvest in Surat Thani province, Thailand

More commonly known in Thailand as "higher Education" were attending students can achieve MSC level higher Education known as a "Monkey School Coconut" degree

[smedly]

3 hours ago, Yinn said:

if I the monkey I prefer be the coconut monkey, than the medical torture monkey. 

Yin, do you have an MSC 

[smedly]

1 hour ago, pineapple01 said:

Never seen them Chained either. Never seen one run away. At the Traffic Lights they swig water like Me.

Monkey see Monkey do

[smedly]

35 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

Instead of raising a hypocritical ruckus about a handful of coconut-harvesting monkeys in Thailand as if it were the animal cruelty offence of the century, PETA perhaps should turn their attention to those countless pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry testing labs scattered across the UK and indeed the rest of the world where thousands over thousands of animals are tortured every single day.

would you rather they bypassed the monkeys - got any viable suggestions in the name of medical science which you no doubt have benefitted from at one time or another

[Yinn]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's fiancée Carrie Symonds called on other supermarkets to follow suit.

 

3 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Deal with your own country's problems first. 

Yes

[bodga]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

PETA has said it believes virtually all coconuts from Thailand are picked by monkeys

Id  suggest they stopped  talking out of their backsides, round here there are  no  monkeys  just a man with a bamboo  pole and a  sharp  cutter. SZaw  monkeys doing it ONCE in 16  years and that was for tourists in Samui 15  yrs  ago.

[anterian]

Can some one tell me, do the monkeys carry them down or just drop them?

 

[Geoffggi]

1 hour ago, Yinn said:

 

Yes

Not sure if you are xenophobic or naive ........!!!

 

[pineapple01]

3 minutes ago, anterian said:

Can some one tell me, do the monkeys carry them down or just drop them?

 

Drop then like Humans do.