Chiang Mai Safari: Rare Animals On The Menu At Zoo

[Dustoff]

If it has a face on it - dont eat it. ,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My wife was fine with your post until this last line...

Edited November 18, 2005 by Dustoff

[Jai Dee]

If it has a face on it - dont eat it. ,

My wife was fine with your post until this last line...

So was I...

[meadish_sweetball]

I'ts illegal to consume them in their countries of origin, so why should we have to "GET REAL" (a dreadful americanism) and allow the Thais to import them for food?

You surely dont think they are REALLY going to serve real tiger and lion meat.

It would be financially and logistically impossible to do that.

I enjoyed the previous post about the zoo not serving animals as food on the premises - so i guess that would mean that the restaurants would all be vegetarian then?!! Or dont fish, crab, shrimp, chicken and pork count as animals.

I say if you are prepared to eat meat then you should be prepared to eat ALL meat and not just the stuff you didnt pet at the zoo when you were a kid.

If it has a face on it - dont eat it. ,

Personally I would consider eating meat from all animals if I had to. If faced with either dying or eating human meat, I am pretty sure I would eat that too. As it is now, I generally stick to the meats I am used to, and often eat vegetarian food as well.

Call me callous if I cannot find in myself the same compassion or fervour about chicken rights as you display.

When we get towards more human-like animals that resemble us more in behaviour, it becomes more unpleasant, because we like to search out human-like behaviour in these animals and (mostly) incorrectly interepret it as if they have 'feelings' and sometimes even 'thoughts'. Once you go there, from a science perspective it's always possible to examine the vailidity of how 'aware' animals are of their surroundings. It is obvious animals are subjected to stressful conditions in meat farms, and dont have lives that are all that great. But some animals have been so domesticated they are not fit to live in the wild anymore. And if they were released into the wild (which has been attempted by so called 'militant vegans' in the past, that doesnt work out so great either).

Whichever way you look at it, serving endangered species at a Night Safari is a step up from regular munching of cows and chickens, pigs and horses, neither of which are in risk of becoming endangered. It is something that goes clearly against the whole thought of preserving a rich environment with room for as many species as possible - while taking into account that we are first and foremost humans....

[Nignoy]

I'ts illegal to consume them in their countries of origin, so why should we have to "GET REAL" (a dreadful americanism) and allow the Thais to import them for food?

You surely dont think they are REALLY going to serve real tiger and lion meat.

It would be financially and logistically impossible to do that.

I enjoyed the previous post about the zoo not serving animals as food on the premises - so i guess that would mean that the restaurants would all be vegetarian then?!! Or dont fish, crab, shrimp, chicken and pork count as animals.

I say if you are prepared to eat meat then you should be prepared to eat ALL meat and not just the stuff you didnt pet at the zoo when you were a kid.

If it has a face on it - dont eat it. ,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Personally I would consider eating meat from all animals if I had to. If faced with either dying or eating human meat, I am pretty sure I would eat that too. As it is now, I generally stick to the meats I am used to, and often eat vegetarian food as well.

Call me callous if I cannot find in myself the same compassion or fervour about chicken rights as you display.

When we get towards more human-like animals that resemble us more in behaviour, it becomes more unpleasant, because we like to search out human-like behaviour in these animals and (mostly) incorrectly interepret it as if they have 'feelings' and sometimes even 'thoughts'. Once you go there, from a science perspective it's always possible to examine the vailidity of how 'aware' animals are of their surroundings. It is obvious animals are subjected to stressful conditions in meat farms, and dont have lives that are all that great. But some animals have been so domesticated they are not fit to live in the wild anymore. And if they were released into the wild (which has been attempted by so called 'militant vegans' in the past, that doesnt work out so great either).

Whichever way you look at it, serving endangered species at a Night Safari is a step up from regular munching of cows and chickens, pigs and horses, neither of which are in risk of becoming endangered. It is something that goes clearly against the whole thought of preserving a rich environment with room for as many species as possible - while taking into account that we are first and foremost humans....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lets cut out all the hypocrisy and bullshit it does not matter what country you hail from, we are all guilty of cruelty or abuse of animals be they, domesticated,wild or in zoos, whether it is faithful kiddies pet ponies in UK sold off to be exported to france for slaughter, the use of deer in european gameparks as trophy targets for rich so called hunters, or the trade zoo,s world wide where apart from viewing the cutie and cuddlies , for the right price you can take home a lion cub or a chimp or the skin and head of the proud male lion who your kids admired that morning in its enclosure, these are not bull shit stories I experienced enough of them , the atrocities commited aginst wildlife in australia,baiting dingos but not doing the research so that lots of the smaller carnivores are killed to, deliberately releasing a virulant disease into the wild rabbit population ,succeeding in killing lots of wallabies ,bettongs and other herbivores. I have devoted my life to the care and protection of animals , so leave out the bullshit if any of you Septics think I am nuts , look in your own backyards, the biggest modernday black market animal dealer lives and thrives in Fort Lauderdale Florida, USA has the highest population of tigers in private hands in the world, over 2000 registered so god knows how many illegal animals. Chiangmai Zoo,s backers have done irrepairable damage , but he who hath no fault throw the first stone,Nignoy

[chuchok]

Lets cut out all the hypocrisy and bullshit it does not matter what country you hail from, we are all guilty of cruelty or abuse of animals be they, domesticated,wild or in zoos, whether it is faithful kiddies pet ponies in UK sold off to be exported to france for slaughter, the use of  deer in european gameparks  as trophy targets for rich so called hunters, or the trade zoo,s world wide where apart from viewing the cutie and cuddlies , for the right price you can take home a lion cub or a chimp or the skin and head of the proud male lion who your kids admired that morning in its enclosure, these are not bull shit stories I experienced enough of them , the atrocities commited aginst wildlife in australia,baiting  dingos but not doing the research so that lots of the smaller carnivores are killed to, deliberately releasing a virulant disease into the wild rabbit population ,succeeding in killing lots of wallabies ,bettongs and other herbivores. I have devoted my life to the care and protection of animals , so leave out the bullshit if any of you Septics think I am nuts , look in your own backyards, the biggest modernday black market animal dealer lives and thrives in Fort Lauderdale Florida, USA has the highest population of tigers in private hands in the world, over 2000 registered so god knows how many illegal animals. Chiangmai Zoo,s backers have done irrepairable damage , but he who hath no fault throw the first stone,Nignoy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Personally, I care much more about human life than I do about animals. Funny really how I would care more about a 9 year old girl being put "up for sale "...than a lion being shot.blimey...must have got it wrong somehow.

[Rinrada]

Only gotta check out Makro on Sri Nak Road and you will find most of them (but didnt see any lion meat)in their deep freeze section.

Thought about Croc and chips with maybe some white meat from the baby turtles mixed with the delicate addition of of a creme fresh combination of pur-eed heart of wallaby and "rabbit" but decided that I would rather have a bowl of ba...me instead.??

[meadish_sweetball]

I'ts illegal to consume them in their countries of origin, so why should we have to "GET REAL" (a dreadful americanism) and allow the Thais to import them for food?

You surely dont think they are REALLY going to serve real tiger and lion meat.

It would be financially and logistically impossible to do that.

I enjoyed the previous post about the zoo not serving animals as food on the premises - so i guess that would mean that the restaurants would all be vegetarian then?!! Or dont fish, crab, shrimp, chicken and pork count as animals.

I say if you are prepared to eat meat then you should be prepared to eat ALL meat and not just the stuff you didnt pet at the zoo when you were a kid.

If it has a face on it - dont eat it. ,

Personally I would consider eating meat from all animals if I had to. If faced with either dying or eating human meat, I am pretty sure I would eat that too. As it is now, I generally stick to the meats I am used to, and often eat vegetarian food as well.

Call me callous if I cannot find in myself the same compassion or fervour about chicken rights as you display.

When we get towards more human-like animals that resemble us more in behaviour, it becomes more unpleasant, because we like to search out human-like behaviour in these animals and (mostly) incorrectly interepret it as if they have 'feelings' and sometimes even 'thoughts'. Once you go there, from a science perspective it's always possible to examine the vailidity of how 'aware' animals are of their surroundings. It is obvious animals are subjected to stressful conditions in meat farms, and dont have lives that are all that great. But some animals have been so domesticated they are not fit to live in the wild anymore. And if they were released into the wild (which has been attempted by so called 'militant vegans' in the past, that doesnt work out so great either).

Whichever way you look at it, serving endangered species at a Night Safari is a step up from regular munching of cows and chickens, pigs and horses, neither of which are in risk of becoming endangered. It is something that goes clearly against the whole thought of preserving a rich environment with room for as many species as possible - while taking into account that we are first and foremost humans....

Lets cut out all the hypocrisy and bullshit it does not matter what country you hail from, we are all guilty of cruelty or abuse of animals be they, domesticated,wild or in zoos, whether it is faithful kiddies pet ponies in UK sold off to be exported to france for slaughter, the use of deer in european gameparks as trophy targets for rich so called hunters, or the trade zoo,s world wide where apart from viewing the cutie and cuddlies , for the right price you can take home a lion cub or a chimp or the skin and head of the proud male lion who your kids admired that morning in its enclosure, these are not bull shit stories I experienced enough of them , the atrocities commited aginst wildlife in australia,baiting dingos but not doing the research so that lots of the smaller carnivores are killed to, deliberately releasing a virulant disease into the wild rabbit population ,succeeding in killing lots of wallabies ,bettongs and other herbivores. I have devoted my life to the care and protection of animals , so leave out the bullshit if any of you Septics think I am nuts , look in your own backyards, the biggest modernday black market animal dealer lives and thrives in Fort Lauderdale Florida, USA has the highest population of tigers in private hands in the world, over 2000 registered so god knows how many illegal animals. Chiangmai Zoo,s backers have done irrepairable damage , but he who hath no fault throw the first stone,Nignoy

Just for the record I am not a Septic. Not sure if you were addressing me though.

Neither am I a saint. I just expressed I think it's unsuitable for a Night Safari to serve meat of endangered species. I dont care what country it's located in as it's irrelevant to the issue.

If you want to make your posts a little easier to read and understand, some more full stops, commas and paragraphs would improve readability.

[JXXXL]

This may very well be a bad move in conservation terms but some people who replied to this post should look at their own dietary issues, as there is little difference in meat from a cow ,a horse ,a dog or an elephant and the best way to keep animals is to use them for a purpose other than just for looking at, that way there is an economic reason to keep them and business will find a way to make them flourish. How many cows or sheep would there be if we didn't eat them.I personally don't eat much meat (personal taste not political outlook)but see the necessity of animals for food and one animal is much like another

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good/unemotional points.

Having traveled and lived internationally for some 50 years, I have eaten most of the animals on this list and they were not considered unusual menu items.

Not sure about the tigers since I have a fondness for pussies but I do not recall seeing zebras or dogs or many other of these animals on any endangered species lists. While we may complain about someone serving horse or snake, is it appropriate to do so as we comfortably munch cow and chicken? Has anyone consulted a chicken?

I have a feeling that when all the hubbub fades, it will turn out that most of these animals are raised domestically. Let's face it, even the very folks you assault for their lack of intelligence cannot be stupid enough to actually be hiring people to go out on the savanna and gun down any endangered species. But you cannot charge 4500b for zebra that you admit was raised in a pen. Raising animals such as these as 'exotic pets' has become very popular and there are certain to be ones that due to cosmetic reasons just do not sell to discerning customers. Hence they become a food source? Certainly they are not fit to survive in the wild...

When I was just a tadpole, my family took me to an very classy restaurant on a very special occasion with lots of family. Being of that age to want to order for myself, I saw Loin Roast on the menu and, having misread, stated loudly, "I'll have that LION Roast!"

In spite of the humiliation of the robust laughter around me (this still happens), I still figger what the hey, meat is meat...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Looking at this as a moral issue of what meat is acceptable to eat reveals something about your level of intellect. I think what most people find amusing or appalling is that a ZOO would be so stupid/brazen/insensitive as to propose serving wild animals on their menu. This is one of the most amazingly stupid PR disasters I have ever heard of, and it makes all Thai people, and Chiang Mai, look ridiculous.

A zoo - certainly any zoo established in the past 30 years - is supposed to be a place where the public is educated and motivated to protect animals of the world. To put exotic meat on the menu at a zoo is an absolute farce. It would be like giving a free soccer ball made by Pakistani children for every donation to UNICEF.

The Night Safari has been one of the PM's pet projects so I can't believe he didn't have any knowledge of this. Just another in long string of idiotic schemes that has blown up in his face. I can't believe the Thai people voted guy in by such a huge margin. They're getting what they deserve. <snip>

/Mod Edit - please keep those kinds of comments out of this subject.

Edited November 18, 2005 by Jai Dee

[Bizz]

Excellent marketing. Excellent!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Right on George they will drop the whole idea later. When the numbers are there.

Suppressed there are not monkeys or gorillas on the menu this is Thailand.

Thailand never ceases to amaze me.

[whimsy]

One of the best T.I.T. news stories of the year. Even better than the CTX machine scandal.

l love the Prime Minister's comment at the end of the Nation article. Just when you might be expecting a dose of rationality from the CEO, he steps in with a classic. Not "No, bad idea, this will be bad for Thailand's image and eating endangered species is wrong". No, the only comment is that killing and eating the crocodiles would be uneconomic.

If I needed any more proof that Thai thinking is 'different' ................

[CTM]

One of the best T.I.T. news stories of the year.  Even better than the CTX machine scandal.

l love the Prime Minister's comment at the end of the Nation article. Just when you might be expecting a dose of rationality from the CEO, he steps in with a classic. Not "No, bad idea, this will be bad for Thailand's image and eating endangered species is wrong".  No, the only comment is that killing and eating the crocodiles would be uneconomic.

If I needed any more proof that Thai thinking is 'different' ................ 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Tesco and Makro both sell crocodile and ostrich. Doesn't Toxin have an ownership stake in Tesco?

Makro also sells wild boar, frog legs, and more.

Ostrich is tasty. So is buffalo if you ever visit the US and quite healthy too.

[britmaveric]

The problem I see is the association with the bloody zoo...major PR blunder. It's fking hypocritical to visit a Zoo and look/appreciate the wild animals and then eat the type of animals that are in the zoo. Who ever came up with this brilliant idea needs to be fired.

If you want to open an exotic meat restaurant I suggest you don't have any affiliation with a Zoo. I think most agree this is where the problem lies.

Edited November 18, 2005 by britmaveric

[Ricardo]

Tom yum chang  -  NO THANKS ! 

Chiang Mai wants to promote itself as a place of culture & history, the tourists will hear about this sick idea and simply stop coming here, once they've stopped throwing-up 

If the poo-yais don't understand or share international-standards of morality, at least they should hire foreign marketing-experts, who would quickly put them right  -  and stop this nonsense.

I weep for Thailand  -  when I read a story like this. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Post like this make me weep.

I'll sell you a handkerchief for a good price

<snip> Flame removed. RDN

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry , but I am home, I live on Planet Earth (specifically Thailand - and love it) and I don't believe endangered-species should be on the menu, at a zoo or anywhere else. We 'civilised' people have laws against this sort of thing.

Leaving aside the vitriol - what point are you trying to make ?

Edited November 18, 2005 by RDN

[rstrauss]

I agree with much of the above that this is an incredibly stupid idea.  Serving up exotic animals at the zoo! This would have enough bad press if it was an establishment not related to the zoo at all.  Further proof I'll never understand Thailand...

Have you never gone on a hike in the northern mountain? Whenever my guide saw an animal he uttered: "Soup, BBQ, Gaeng..."

[Nignoy]

Tom yum chang  -  NO THANKS ! 

Chiang Mai wants to promote itself as a place of culture & history, the tourists will hear about this sick idea and simply stop coming here, once they've stopped throwing-up  

If the poo-yais don't understand or share international-standards of morality, at least they should hire foreign marketing-experts, who would quickly put them right  -  and stop this nonsense.

I weep for Thailand  -  when I read a story like this.  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Post like this make me weep.

I'll sell you a handkerchief for a good price

<snip> Flame removed. RDN

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry , but I am home, I live on Planet Earth (specifically Thailand - and love it) and I don't believe endangered-species should be on the menu, at a zoo or anywhere else. We 'civilised' people have laws against this sort of thing.

Leaving aside the vitriol - what point are you trying to make ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Was in the world famous Australia zoo home of the crocodile hunter in Beerwah this morning, on the menu in one of the restaurants, Kangaroo, Crocodile, Alligator ,emu and ostrich, good ols fashioned Aussie Tucker Nignoy

[Jai Dee]

Actually, the crocodile satays they serve at the Sriratcha Tiger Zoo restaurant are aroi mak mak!!!

[stevesbigtrip]

Sorry everyone I told the WWF and they say they will be looking in on this amazing announcement. I heard you had to have a Uni degree in Thailand to have a good job or work in the goverment. I tried a test on my niece 15 in school in thailand and seriously could not find thailand on the atlas. I know 6 year olds who could show you that in the UK so does that mean all the educated in thailand people have the evivilent of a 11+ in the UK. I am scared and my wife has reservation about me taking her boys to europe to educate them

[george]

Update:

Plodprasop to review exotic meats on menu

Director steps back after harsh criticism

BANGKOK: -- Harsh public criticism has forced Plodprasop Suraswadi, the flamboyant project director of the Chiang Mai Night Safari Park, to step back from his proposal to put exotic wildlife meats on the menu at a restaurant in the park.

Mr Plodprasop, who is also assistant to the minister of natural resources and environment, yesterday promised to review the choice of exotic meats to be served following a study.

He said the decision would be based on whether diners were interested in eating the animals, whether or not the serving of some animal meats would tarnish the image of the night safari, and whether Thai society could accept the consumption of wild animal meats.

"I am open-minded and listening to all comments, particularly the constructive ones such as those made by some youths after watching zebra meat being served at one of the restaurants, but not the protest by some animal activists who did it for publicity," Mr Plodprasop said.

The idea of serving exotic dishes made from wild animal meats such as zebra, giraffe, crocodile and dog has attracted strong criticism from all sectors of society.

Mr Plodprasop defended the exotic menu as nothing unusual as the meats are served worldwide including in Kenya, which had a restaurant called the Carnival offering similar exotic dishes.

A group of animal lovers yesterday handed a petition to Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop to demand that the serving of the wildlife meat buffet be halted inside the park.

Siri Wangboonkerd, a former Thai Rak Thai MP and chairman of an animal conservation foundation, said offering wildlife meat would project a negative image of Thailand in terms of animal conservation, and particularly cruelty to dogs, which were considered man's most loyal pets.

He said serving dog meat inside the night safari park would imply that the government supported the idea of eating dogs despite its earlier crackdown on dog slaughterhouses in Sakon Nakhon's Tha Rae district.

"The offering of dog and other wild animal meats would also go against the idea of zoos, which aim at promoting wildlife conservation.

"It would also make young people look at these animals as food rather than as being creatures that deserve love and care,' Mr Siri said.

He warned that if the wild meat menu was still on offer inside the park by New Year's Day, his foundation and other animal lovers and groups would launch a nationwide campaign to urge the public not to visit the night safari park.

Nida Nikornpan, a member of Save Our Strays group and a Chiang Mai resident, said the exotic menu was a "humiliation to Chiang Mai people and the country as a whole".

"Don't we have enough pork, chicken and beef to eat? Why do you want to eat dogs? Chiang Mai will soon be known worldwide for eating dogs and wild animals instead of its culture and beautiful nature," she said.

--Bangkok Post 2005-11-19

[LukDod]

..."Update: Plodprasop to review exotic meats on menu Director steps back after harsh criticism..."

Though also quite controversial, they might get more public acceptance if the zoo's menu was offering some of our nefarious Thai politicians, rather then the animals, on their dining cuisine...

Home Sweet Home - Pattaya

[Dustoff]

I'm beginning to think LOS stands for Land of Stupidity.  Reading crap like this makes it easier to understand some of the dumbass laws these morons pass. 

If you didn't have the poontang and low cost of living factors, there wouldn't be any other reason to live here.  The air is polluted, the food is unhealthy, the roads are dangerous and the people are untrustworthy. 

Forgetting the cliche "the grass is always greener" isn't there somewhere else in the world that is affordable, healthier and with more sensible locals to deal with?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To each his own. In the five years I have been here, so far the most objectionable thing/person I have encountered is you and your attitude. For the good of all of us who choose to live here, I hope you find your "somewhere else".

And, going with this thread, what a GIGGLE! The reactions of people (omnivores) to this menu is FAR more interesting than what is being served. Too funny...

[meemiathai]

If eating meat is ok, I don't even find eating human inappropriate then.

I really don't know the answer. What meat can be eaten and what cannot.

My idea is, reduce any sufferings to its lowest. At least don't let them know that you are going to eat them. Treat them nicely and let them enjoy their moments when they are alive. Nothing lasts forever.

It is very sad to see animals being treated with cruelty, especially because they are not capable of understanding why. Human victims at least have a understanding of what's going on.

[george]

Chiang Mai Night Safari reconsiders wild animal menu

BANGKOK: -- A plan to serve 'exotic' cuisine made from wild animal meat at the not yet opened-Night Safari Park in Thailand's northern resort province of Chiang Mai is being reconsidered after it has met opposition from wildlife protection groups.

The idea to serve wild animal dishes to visitors at the park's restaurants was floated on Thursday by Plodprasop Suraswadi, Vice Minister for the Prime Minister's Office and Director of the Management Office of the Night Safari Park Project.

Realizing that the plan, if implemented, would tarnish the country's image and draw international condemnation, Siri Wangboonkerd, president of the Animal Protection Club and vice president of Thai Society for the Prvention of Cruelty to Animals, on Friday submitted a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop asking the government to stop the plan.

Upon learning of the opposition, Mr. Plodprasop said several countries, including Kenya, had offered wild animal meat for sale, but he is ready to listen to any opposition.

But a call by members of the House of Representatives for people not to visit the country's first Night Safari Park is not justifiable, said Mr. Plodprasop, adding that the objective of the park is to conserve and display rare and wild animals to the public.

The plan to offer exotic wild animal meat is still under a feasibility study and the animal meat will come from farms, not from animals that are smuggled into the country, he added.

--TNA 2005-11-19

[odowdchr]

This story made the British tabloids yesterday, it's just the kind of thing they like to 'get their teeth into'.

Some of you'll be interested to know that the story was illustrated with a big splash photo of PM Thaksin cradling a cuddly little cub......

[Cowboyshoe]

Ah! A brilliant business strategy - not to promote the zoo, but to keep expats in the internet cafes all night long blathering with righteous indignation.

I really don't see the problem. It's legal, right? Sure it's disgusting and offensive to most, but hel_l so are most things you read in the paper.

As for those who cry and moan at the thought of a 'noble' institution like a zoo doing such a horrible thing they need to make a reality check. Maybe if someone shot you full of tranquilizers and you woke up in a room the size of a walk in closet, where you were expected to spend the remainder of your life you'd eventually develop a preference for being served up for lunch instead!

[Cool Water Palace]

This story made the British tabloids yesterday, it's just the kind of thing they like to 'get their teeth into'. 

Some of you'll be interested to know that the story was illustrated with a big splash photo of PM Thaksin cradling a cuddly little cub......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And the Guardian today (correction yesterday - Thai time):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/kenya/story/0,12...1646194,00.html

[jomama]

I see Sunday morning that the Nation is reporting that the back-tracking has begun. The genius who made the announcement said he is "reviewing" the decision.

It was also noted that one of the restaurants at the Night Safari will be "six star." How grandose can these guys get?

Actually, the wife had to drop something off at the Night Safari yesterday (related to the shipping business). Average people are not allowed in yet -- there were lots of cars from BKK that were being turned away. Because she had an appointment, she was allowed in. Saw one African elephant and that's all.

[jomama]

Sorry about the multiple posts, but I forgot to tell you...

That when my wife was at the Night Safari, I calleed her on her cellphone to ask if they had take-away. I was thinking of an elephant trunk...we could slice it thin and bread it and deep-fried -- a la calamari.

She hung up the phone and switched it off and didn't turn it back on until she was almost back home. Said she was in a business meeting and could listen to that "crazy crap." She does talk that way because she learned how to swear from me.

But apparently they do not do take-out, or at least not yet.

[joe beets]

I see Sunday morning that the Nation is reporting that the back-tracking has begun. The genius who made the announcement said he is "reviewing" the decision.

It was also noted that one of the restaurants at the Night Safari will be "six star."  How grandose can these guys get?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why not seven?

- or -

Mine goes to eleven.

jb

[Johpa]

Have you never gone on a hike in the northern mountain? Whenever my guide saw an animal he uttered: "Soup, BBQ, Gaeng..."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can attest that there are folks up in the hills that make a tasty pangolin dish. But I can also attest that there aren't many animals left up in the hills apart from small birds and reptiles. The forests of Chiang Mai, at least those remaining, are rather devoid of wild life. My father-innlaw's generation was the last generation up in the hills that remembers hunting deer and other larger mammals.

[Jai Dee]

WILD ANIMALS WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN A MENU AT CHAING MAI'S NIGHT SAFARI

Assistant to Environment and Natural Resource Minister PLODPRASOB SURASSAWADI (ปลอดประสพ สุรัสวดี) has assured the public that wild animals will not be included in the menu at Night Safari Park in Chiang Mai Province.

Mr. PLODPRASOB said that the CHIANG MAI Night Safari is a good project set up to study and conserve natural resources and wild animals as well as support ecotourism in Thailand. He admitted that there may be some flaws in the operations at the zoo. However, he indicated it will take another month to complete the project.

As for the menu at the Safari, Mr. PLOBPRASOB said that the wild animals featured in shows at the zoo will not become dishes at the safari. The report came out because of confusion and lack of understanding in the zoo’s principles. He said that only crocodile and ostrich meats, which are widely traded in food market in Thailand, will be served at the zoo. Mr. PLODPRASOB said that Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from abroad should look back at their own countries’ behaviours in conserving wild animals, before criticizing Thailand.

He said further that the zoo was a success as 4,000 visitors visit the zoo every night.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 22 November 2005