by Krajangwit Johjit

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Commerce Ministry and food exporters dismissed reports that Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is dropping a Thai coconut milk brand over allegations of forced monkey labor, insisting that such practices have long been prohibited in the country.

 

The director-general of the Department of International Trade Promotion, Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, stated that he had already requested information from Thai Trade Centers in the United States, which have frequent contact with large importers and distributors there. He later confirmed that Walmart continues to import and sell Thai-made goods and maintains a normal trading relationship with Thailand.

 

According to Phusit, it is common practice for retailers around the world to replace or remove certain products from their shelves during certain periods to meet seasonal consumer demand.

 

The Thai Food Processors Association has released a statement and information regarding Thailand’s coconut plantations and harvests, reiterating that export-oriented industries do not use monkey labor.

 

Visit Limlurcha, honorary president of the Thai Food Processors Association, insisted that there is no forced monkey labor used to harvest coconuts for commercial purposes, noting that Thai farmers have long been using tools to harvest coconuts.

 

According to the Commerce Ministry, coconut milk exports earned Thailand 4.4 billion baht in 2021, a 10 percent increase from the previous year, with the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa serving as key export markets.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-06-16

 

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Question: do the PETA fanatics behind this also think your pet dog or pet cat is being held in slavery and must be given emancipation? 

I bet Walmart and the likes of Amazon are quietly assessing the logistics of using their own monkey labour.. ????

16 minutes ago, huangnon said:

I bet Walmart and the likes of Amazon are quietly assessing the logistics of using their own monkey labour.. ????

Ever seen the inside of a Walmart? The monkeys are already there. They're the customers.

If Walmart carried Thai coconut milk then I surmise there is/was a market demand.  If there is a market demand I would bet there are more than a few asian/oriental stores in the same area that still carries coconut milk.

Just got back from Lotus. Sought out and bought two large cartons of Chaokoh Coconut milk, because that is who Peta is targeting.

This is going to leave a lot of Thai monkeys unemployed. How does that help?

2 hours ago, BangkokHank said:

This is going to leave a lot of Thai monkeys unemployed. How does that help?

 

It may look like their are less monkeys in the industry but that is deceiving, as a lot of them are currently working from home due to the Monkey Pox virus.

 

I do miss the fresh coconut water when I’m in Europe. The tetra pack ones taste a bit strange., Every evening after my meal, I’d buy one on the way home . I find they’ve helped my digestion.,

What?  Forcing monkeys to climb trees? Absolutely barbaric!  What next, people riding on elephants?

 

A certain cooking tv show says they did some research of various brands and recommend the brand Aroy-D.  I concur.  Some of the other Thai imports in the US separate into cream and water while canned, even if I shake them up before opening -- not a big deal, I just stir it up.  Aroy-D does not do this, and costs a little bit more.