Monkey business and the battle over Thailand’s multibillion-baht coconut industry

[webfact]

 

For more than a century, Thai southerners have raised and trained monkeys to climb high trees and collect ripe coconuts for them. However, this traditional way of life is now under intense scrutiny after being condemned by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) as “animal abuse”.

 

“Enslaved monkeys are suffering,” says PETA in its video calling attention to the use of primates on Thai coconut farms.

 

Last week, PETA said Walmart is the latest US retailer to drop coconut-milk products from major brand Chaokoh, which it says are produced using monkey labor. Walmart has joined Costco, Wegmans, Super King Markets and Cost Plus World Market in removing Chaokoh products from its shelves.

 

Animal cruelty

 

Two PETA Asia undercover investigations have revealed the use of chained and caged monkeys in Thailand’s coconut-picking industry. PETA says that these primates are in fact social animals that should be free to roam forests and interact with their fellows. Chaining and forcing them to work as “coconut-picking machines” is an act of cruelty, it adds.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/monkey-business-and-the-battle-over-thailands-multibillion-baht-coconut-industry/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-06-20

 

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[Gsxrnz]

I wonder if there were similar debates eons ago when our distant ancestors savagely dragged felines and canines from their clowders and packs, and forced them into domesticity.

 

But more importantly, did the caveman ( or indeed, the cavewoman or non-binary caveperson) have a word for virtue signaling?

Edited June 19, 2022 by Gsxrnz

[JoePai]

PETA is wrong - they should be called PITA

[Excel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

 PETA Asia undercover investigations

Guess they were camouflaged as  a Monkey, funny old business that, enough to send you nuts.

Edited June 20, 2022 by Excel

[papa al]

About 50 people die/ year from coconuts.

People falling from trees or hit with falling nuts or fronds.

[Peterphuket]

1 hour ago, papa al said:

About 50 people die/ year from coconuts.

People falling from trees or hit with falling nuts or fronds.

And not a single monkey.

PETA, other word for morons.

[Burma Bill]

How about training them to use a "cherry picker"???

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by Burma Bill
additional information

[bogozy]

The western activists of PETA go for horse riding, keep pet animals in the small flats, birds in cages, no let them to live their natural lifes. After turning againist the coconut picker monkeys. 

[mahtin]

Elephant, buffalo, sundry other beasts of burden being overlooked too.

K9 law enforcement?

The list is long.

[mahtin]

And how about organ grinders?

Monkey work coconut honourable profession.

[jacko45k]

6 hours ago, papa al said:

About 50 people die/ year from coconuts.

People falling from trees or hit with falling nuts or fronds.

Darn... have 3 trees in the garden and you got me concerned......

[Thingamabob]

Most animals world-wide are, and always have been, treated with appalling cruelty.

[Pond Life]

Train young children to replace the monkeys !

[Excel]

Just now, Pond Life said:

Train young children to replace the monkeys !

Not a good idea as child labour is to be frowned upon. 

[Excel]

6 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Darn... have 3 trees in the garden and you got me concerned......

Best go out and buy some hard hats, problem solved ????

[BangkokReady]

14 hours ago, Gsxrnz said:

I wonder if there were similar debates eons ago when our distant ancestors savagely dragged felines and canines from their clowders and packs, and forced them into domesticity.

Perhaps you're joking, but there is little chance that cave men forced wolves into domestication.  What is far more likely is that some non-aggressive wolves began hanging around camps/villages as they figured out that humans had food and they became less afraid of them.  This then probably led to a natural domestication where wolves and humans basically benefitted enough from being together that it persisted. 

 

There wouldn't be much point in trying to force a wild and aggressive animal to be tame and friendly, as the chance of success is extremely low.

[matchar]

So would they rather Burmese migrants slaving away for peanuts instead of the poor monkeys?

[Maybole]

15 hours ago, Gsxrnz said:

I wonder if there were similar debates eons ago when our distant ancestors savagely dragged felines and canines from their clowders and packs, and forced them into domesticity.

 

But more importantly, did the caveman ( or indeed, the cavewoman or non-binary caveperson) have a word for virtue signaling?

Read " the Cat that walked by itself"by Rudyard Kipling. It puts a different view.

[RobU]

1. PETA is US based charity and was unknown until it raised this particular issue over a year ago, it seems to be the only issue it pursues

2. Florida has a coconut milk industry picked by expensive mechanical means

3. Thai coconut milk is widely regarded as the best in the world

4. The Florida coconut milk producers are trying to compete with Thailand

5. Who contributes to PETA?

6. the monkeys used are not wild they are bred in captivity  and have been for over a hundred years and are very well kept almost like family members

7.  Buddhist monks run the training school for the owners and animals on an ethical basis

8. The monkeys are kept on long leashes when working because they might run away , they would not survive in the wild and would be attacked and killed by the dominant wild monkey troupes in the area. Hunting dogs in the UK are kept in kennels (Cages) when they are not working

9. Tesco UK banned Thai coconut milk when this issue was first raised (Knee Jerk Reaction) it rescinded that and now sells Thai Coconut milk in all it's stores again. It seems like patriotic Walmart has found an excuse to support the Florida industry or is having a knee jerk reaction same as Tesco UK did

This story seems to crop up now on a yearly basis.

 

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by RobU

[jacko45k]

9 hours ago, Excel said:

Best go out and buy some hard hats, problem solved ????

I told the Mrs to shin up there and drop the big ones... she said we have to get a monkey, I said I got one... had to make my own tea!