PHETCHABURI: About 200 of the huge and pesky macaque population on Khao Wang have been trapped and will be relocated to a wildlife breeding centre in Cha-am district.
The area is heavily over-populated with the short-tailed monkeys, which pester and have been known to attack tourists. They also raid local communities, breaking into houses and stealing food.
About 200 macaques were caught and put in cages on Wednesday. They were being given health checks before being taken to their new home at the Huay Sai wildlife breeding centre in Cha-am district.
Yuthapol Angkinan, deputy leader of the Chartthaipattana Party and chairman of the Phetchaburi people's network who initiated the project, and Atthapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, took part in the operation.
Mr Yutthapol said more of the monkeys would be trapped and relocated in about two weeks. The target was to reduce the Khao Wang population by about 600.
The relocation of monkeys from Khao Wang is intended to be a model for solving the same problem in other provinces.
Khao Wang, or Palace Hill, is a verdant 92-metre high hill in the City of Phetchaburi. The old palace there was built on the royal command of King Rama IV and in 1860 and became his summer residence.
The compound comprises royal halls, palaces, temples and other buildings elegantly constructed in a well-balanced mix of Thai, neoclassical Western and Chinese architectural styles.