Laksi district officials on Thursday sanitised the house of an old woman who for decades had been feeding a large flock of wild pigeons and ignoring neighbours' complaints about the mess they caused and the risk of disease.
"Auntie Pigeon", as she is known in the area, was also warned to stop doing it or face fines or even imprisonment.
Laksi district chief Khajeerat Jaynakhom led a team to clean up the bird droppings and left over food that begrimed the two-story terrace house and its surroundings on Kosum Ruamjai road after a neighbour finally made an official complaint.
They also disinfected the area.
Mrs Khajeerat told 70-year-old Dueanchai Pengpreecha to stop feeding the birds because she was in violation of public health and cleanliness laws. She would be liable to a fine of up to 25,000 baht or even a jail term of up to three months if she persisted.
The law prohibited people from feeding animals in public places in a way that would trouble neighbours, the district chief said.
Ms Dueanchai agreed to cease and desist. The district chief had her signed a written promise to do so.
"Auntie Pigeon" said she loved animals and had fed dogs and pigeons at her house for decades. She had not known that she was breaking the law.
The number of visiting pigeons had soared dramatically in the past few years and she had to increase the amount of feed she provided, and scatter it on both the ground and upper levels of her house, she said.
Pigeons visited the house of "Aunti Pigeon" while district officials were there on Thursday. (Photo by Chanat Katanyu)