I am just curious as to whether there have been any scientific tests on the rats the come out at Silom at night. 

 

The size of them, lack of fear, jumping velocity, don't remind me of any rat i have seen in the world over.

 

I understand them being well fed with the rubbish just thrown on the streets at night for the bin collection. Rubbish isn't put into any containers, so the rats have easy access to the black bags. Lack of predators with low tourists numbers in the Silom area (as opposed to be pre pandemic) mean they are barely disturbed. 

 

Thoughts ?

There are predators (snakes), on average every 15 minutes a call involving snakes in Bangkok.

So my latest research findings on the pesky issue -

 

1) There appears to be less rats around the main Sukhumvit artery of Nana and Asok. Mainly due to there being many more people / tourists around at night. Silom at night is deserted so the rats have made it their domain. 

 

2) Optimum time for these humungous rats to appear is around 1am when there will be a lack of foot fall around. Post 1am on deserted roads with adequate rubbish around is prime rat time. 

 

3) Clearly they are attracted and motivated to attack the large rubbish that is left outside by shops. 7/11 on the main roads are now putting their rubbish into containers which should help, as the rats can't get in them. But local restaurants continue to just throw their black bin bags outside their store which naturally is a huge draw for these flea ridden horrors. 

 

4) They are obviously coming from the sewers that have been built to drain the water. Attempts made to put some sort of lining cover over the holes have been pointless, as the rats have just eaten through them, or made their own holes. 

 

5) They are not afraid. Once upon a time they would scarter at hearing human feet, now they will not move and continue to tuck into the waste that's been left in the black bags. 

 

6) Their sizes now continue to grow from last year. Some are now on par with cats. No cat is going to attack them, so with no natural predator they continue to grow with freedom.

 

7) One way to stop this horrific infestation would be to work on a new rubbish collection system. 

With all the drug samples in the human waste water going loose in the gutters, those rats must be very high !

A troll post in violation of our Community Standards has been removed.

Not just the Big Mango with trash about, as I hit the surfside pier locally pre sunrise a couple times, and whoa ... more than a few that I was not comfortable being around.   Scurrying about with no fear, and the area is fairly trash free.

 

More concerned about my dog than myself, as day time, noon-ish, I'll let her run free on the pier.  Not happening with the rats about.

58 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

So my latest research findings on the pesky issue -

 

1) There appears to be less rats around the main Sukhumvit artery of Nana and Asok. Mainly due to there being many more people / tourists around at night. Silom at night is deserted so the rats have made it their domain. 

 

2) Optimum time for these humungous rats to appear is around 1am when there will be a lack of foot fall around. Post 1am on deserted roads with adequate rubbish around is prime rat time. 

 

3) Clearly they are attracted and motivated to attack the large rubbish that is left outside by shops. 7/11 on the main roads are now putting their rubbish into containers which should help, as the rats can't get in them. But local restaurants continue to just throw their black bin bags outside their store which naturally is a huge draw for these flea ridden horrors. 

 

4) They are obviously coming from the sewers that have been built to drain the water. Attempts made to put some sort of lining cover over the holes have been pointless, as the rats have just eaten through them, or made their own holes. 

 

5) They are not afraid. Once upon a time they would scarter at hearing human feet, now they will not move and continue to tuck into the waste that's been left in the black bags. 

 

6) Their sizes now continue to grow from last year. Some are now on par with cats. No cat is going to attack them, so with no natural predator they continue to grow with freedom.

 

7) One way to stop this horrific infestation would be to work on a new rubbish collection system. 

Best way to get them to act. Post-it on social media and shame it.

Back in 2005, I remember walking back up Sukhumvit with a mate, from Soi Cowboy to Soi 71, after a drinking session. We started to count rat sightings but gave up quickly as they were so numerous. 

 

My local bar on Soi 22 had such a bad rat problem that they would run the gauntlet of customers drinking even in daylight hours.

 

When it rained heavily, and the corner of the Soi flooded, you could see hundreds of rats swimming for their lives as the water in the drains forced them out. 

 

I love Bangkok but it is still a flithy place. 

20 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

Best way to get them to act. Post-it on social media and shame it.

Live & let live, as long as they are not at my house.   Snakes of the Big Mango got to eat ????

I don't know how big the rats you are seeing are, as all of them I've seen here have just been ordinary size, but I remember once when a few friends were walking down a street in NYC, we saw one. At first, one friend commented that what we were seeing was a cat. When I looked closely, I commented, that's not a cat, that's a rat! It was huge, bigger than any rat I'd ever seen then or since.

Perhaps Willard could be of service.

 

Nothing like in NYC, rats the size of crocs.

 

 

Yeah, city rats keep getting bigger and fatter: https://www.fastcompany.com/90667459/nothing-to-see-here-just-city-rats-getting-bigger-and-bigger.

It's not just their size, but the attitude. 

 

The newer younger generation of rats have no respect for humans. They will not move. You have to swerve around them, as they tuck into the 7/11 garbage bag. As you swerve around them sheepishly, you close your eyes and pray they won't attack you or go near you. 

Here in Isaan the cane rats are not a problem. Au contraire, they make - along with dog and snake - a favourite dinner item.

 

I have even tried one mouthful myself. Hard to do because of 'Western' association of rats with sewers, but here they are just another clean source of protein.

We need more soi Jack Russell's problem solved ????

2 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

We need more soi Jack Russell's problem solved ????

 

I think a Jack Russell would even fear these newer breed of rats in Bangkok. 

Not yet ... wait a few ...