PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: The annual sterilisation programme aimed at reducing the number of macaques pestering residents and visitors at popular tourist spots in Hua Hin district began yesterday.
Hua Hin Municipality mayor Nopporn Wuthikul said the programme was launched in 2017 under a memorandum of understanding between the municipality and the Phetchaburi-based Conservation Administration Office 3 of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation with funding of 1.1 million baht.
This year the campaign aims to capture and sterilise 600 of the estimated 3,000 macaques who are blamed for break-ins and damaged houses, theft and pestering residents of Khao Hin Lek Fai community and visitors to the adjoining monkey park.
Mr Nopporn said since the launch of the programme, thousands of macaques, both male and female, have been caught, sterilised and then released.
Every macaque that is sterilised is marked before it is released, Mr Nopporn said.
Despite such measures, the simian population has increased each year.
Wanchai Singto, a director at the Conservation Administration Office 3 in Phetchaburi, said the programme has run into opposition from some local residents who think neutering the animals is inhumane.
Several residents have called a local hotline and complained to the authorities about the nuisance caused by the macaques.
Other residents have helped the authorities locate and catch the macaques.