The mayor of Songkhla’s Muang district municipality said on Wednesday that he will soon hold a public hearing on his plan to relocate 4,000 monkeys to two islands.
The mayor, Dr Somsak Tantiseranee, said the monkeys have been causing serious trouble for residents across the entire 9.27 square kilometres of the municipal area.
He said the monkeys could travel around to any spot by climbing on power poles and cables. They would then damage property and steal things from houses.
He said the municipality has been trying to sterilise the monkeys but this could not be done effectively enough and the population has grown to about 4,000.
“The conflicts between the monkeys and the communities have become a crisis now,” Somsak said.
He said he has not yet discussed his idea with any government agency but many local residents had expressed support for his idea.
“But a public hearing will have to be held to listen to opinions from all sides,” Somsak said.
If the plan gets the green light from local people and the government, the monkeys will be captured and relocated to Cat Island and Mouse Island off Samilar Beach, he added.
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