BMA set to swoop on pigeon fanciers

By The Nation Weekend

 

 

BANGKOK has too many pigeons, according to health officials, and anyone caught feeding them can now be fined or jailed.

 

 

Spurred by Prime Minister Prayut-Chan-o-cha, who recently ordered a ban on the practice, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) Governor Aswin Kwanmuang vowed this week to enforce it strictly, especially in places where pigeons gather in large flocks.

 

 

Aswin said pigeons are known to carry several diseases that pose a threat to humans, such as meningitis and encephalitis.

 

He’s got his eye particularly on Lan Khon Muang, the “people’s ground” in front of the Giant Swing, where feeding the birds is popular and vendors sell feed to anyone feeling avian-friendly.

 

 

Aswin said a BMA regulation entails a fine of up to Bt25,000 or three years in jail for anyone selling or buying bird feed in a public area.

 

He said violators would initially be reprimanded and warned of the hazard the pigeons pose.

 

 

Fifty BMA district offices have been instructed to identify locations where pigeons accumulate and “take necessary action”, including enforcing the ban on feeding and trying to catch the birds to be released into forests.

 

 

 

See more photos: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/gallery/album/230

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30354973

 

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-09-22

 

13 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Governor Aswin Kwanmuang vowed this week to enforce it strictly, especially in places where pigeons gather in large flocks.

He told his staff to get the flock out of Bangkok.

 

I'm not sure if it worked but in central London which has a pigeon problem too they let poeple feed the birds but the birdfeed was "impregnated" with contraceptive.

Releasing them into nearby woods seems a bit daft to me as they have great homing abilities so will just fly back !

3 minutes ago, johng said:

[snipped]
Releasing them into nearby woods seems a bit daft to me as they have great homing abilities so will just fly back !

Obviously the staff are looking for a job for life.

 

 

A fellow once told me confidently that pigeons can't crap as they fly.

 

I could find nothing on the net to prove or disprove this.

 

I know for sure seagulls can drop a massive load as they sail along aloft.

14 minutes ago, johng said:

I'm not sure if it worked but in central London which has a pigeon problem too they let poeple feed the birds but the birdfeed was "impregnated" with contraceptive.

Releasing them into nearby woods seems a bit daft to me as they have great homing abilities so will just fly back !

They won't, if they're not being fed.

 

16 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

They won't, if they're not being fed.

 

Eventually if there is no food for quite a while,  but a bit like the dogs they will forage in the rubbish bins and will eat almost anything  so quite a job to try just starving them out.

Just post that there is a 1000 baht fine and then turn loose the BIB to line their pockets. 

5 hours ago, Vacuum said:

They won't, if they're not being fed.

 

Unlikely. The UAE government in Abu Dhabi tried the same idea many years ago. Captured a load and trucked them to a remote oasis. They stripped everything from the oasis and were back in town within a week.

There are less birds flying in the sky, birds need to be left alone to survive with less forests to live.

 

Bangkok is a sesspit of disease of humans, garbage everywhere, polluted waterways, people using pavements as toilets but small man syndrome has made Bangkok Governor Aswipe lose his mind, and think not feeding pigeons is the answer to Bangkok becoming Shanghai

6 hours ago, johng said:

I'm not sure if it worked but in central London which has a pigeon problem too they let poeple feed the birds but the birdfeed was "impregnated" with contraceptive.

Releasing them into nearby woods seems a bit daft to me as they have great homing abilities so will just fly back !

We have the flying rats around my place and seems they don't like trees, concrete is their favourite, so I have palms and other plants all over my balconies. Wish I had bought an air rifle years back when you could.

In Dubai they employ Scotish Falconers and trained Falcons to deal with such vermin.