Krabi national park vows to punish foreign tourist feeding monkeys
Foreigner ignore warnings and endanger ecosystem balance
National park rangers are searching for a foreign tourist who was captured on a viral video feeding monkeys at Monkey Bay in the southern province of Krabi.
The Thai freelance tour guide, Pokpong “Patrick” Suwannasith, shared the video on his Facebook account yesterday, May 4. In the footage, a foreign man can be seen holding a bag of crisps and feeding them to the monkeys.
Other foreigners in the same tour group were heard cheering him on and filming the monkeys. Patrick can be heard shouting at the group, urging them to stop.
“Hey, don’t feed the monkeys! Why are you feeding the monkeys? Hey, I’m recording you. What’s wrong with you? So bad! It’s crazy. I recorded it, okay? I will present this to the government and national park staff.”
A female foreign friend of Patrick’s also condemned the tourists’ actions in the video, but they ignored the warnings.
Patrick later said he attempted to speak with boat drivers in the area to identify the travel agencies responsible for the tourists, but the drivers and workers refused to cooperate.
He added that he had also witnessed Indian tourists smoking and leaving cigarette butts on the beach at Monkey Bay, but was unable to record the incident in time.
The video was shared with park rangers via the official Facebook page of the Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, which manages the bay. Park officials pledged to track down the foreigners seen in the video, as well as the travel agency and boat operator responsible for transporting them.
Feeding monkeys in national parks is strictly prohibited as it disrupts their natural behaviour. It causes them to stop foraging for food and instead rely on humans, often venturing into residential areas in search of handouts.
Moreover, feeding monkeys poses risks to humans, particularly those who tease or provoke them. Monkey bites can not only cause injury but may also transmit diseases from wild animals to humans.
The national park shared images of the suspected tourists on the same day and confirmed that officials would take legal action against those involved.
Rangers reiterated that multiple warning signs were installed at Monkey Bay, clearly stating that feeding monkeys is prohibited and punishable by a fine of up to 1,000 baht.
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