Today the Thai Cabinet approved a budget of Bt435.289 million ($14 million) to reduce wildlife impact on humans.
More than three-quarters of the budget – Bt360,608 million – will be spent on protecting residents and farmers from wild elephants, Traisuree Taisaranakul, the deputy government spokesperson. The money will be used to restore the natural food sources of the elephants, and to build fences to protect local people. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment requested the Budget.
Another budget of Bt24.461 million will be used to tackle the problems caused by monkeys, including through birth control, a monkeys and cages database to limit the areas they can roam around. The move comes after monkeys in Lopburi ran amok during the lockdown of Covid-19 when their main food source-tourism-starved them.
The remaining Bt40.222 budget will be invested to enhance government agencies' ability to receive and care for animals including those seized in criminal cases. New animal clinics will be built while officials will be prepared for standardized tools, the spokeswoman explained.
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