Beak consequences: Neighbour’s pigeon feast to blame for Thai man’s lung issues

A Thai woman is seeking help after her 80 year old father developed a lung infection and tuberculosis, allegedly due to her neighbour feeding more than 100 pigeons daily in the central province of Nakhon Pathom.

The victim, Anisa, revealed in an interview with Amarin TV that she and her father had rented a house opposite the pigeon caretaker, Tew, since September last year. She became aware of the pigeon issue only after signing the rental contract, leaving her unable to move elsewhere.

Anisa also shared a video with the media showing over 100 birds at Tew’s house. In the video, Anisa was heard questioning why government officials had not intervened.

“Today is August 18, 2024, at about 5.20pm. What are the government officials going to do about this? Hundreds of pigeons gather here. What should I do? My father is now suffering from a lung infection. This is a life-threatening disease. Please help us. She (Tew) doesn’t seem to stop her actions.”

Anisa explained that her father had previously suffered from heart disease but a doctor has now reported that he is also facing several complications, including a lung infection and tuberculosis. She suspects these issues are related to the pigeons.

According to Anisa, Tew frequently comes outside her home in the evenings and scatters bird food, which attracts large flocks of pigeons. As a result, the area around her home, and the entire community, is covered in droppings and feathers.

No health effects

Anisa reported the matter to the provincial administrative office and other relevant departments. Officials came to warn Tew about the dangers of her actions. However, Tew insisted to officials that she did not raise the birds, claiming they came to her by themselves.

Tew continued her daily feeding routine after the officials left. The only difference was that she started feeding the pigeons at the back of her home instead of the front. However, the birds still gather everywhere, as before.

Amarin TV visited Tew’s home for an interview yesterday, September 11. Reporters entered her home and found pigeons and their droppings scattered throughout the house. Tew even had a room for sick birds, equipped with bird cages, each containing medication for the birds.

Tew demonstrated how she fed the pigeons, using a plastic water dipper to scoop bird food from a water jar and spread it at the back of her house. The birds immediately gathered to eat.

Tew shared that she has lived there for more than 20 years and has been caring for the birds for a long time. She emphasised that she had never had any conflict with others in the community.

Tew also stressed that she lives closely with the birds and medical checks confirmed that she is healthy. She insisted she would never stop feeding the pigeons because she felt sorry for them and could not let them starve to death.

As of now, the relevant government departments have not responded to the issue.