Duck this: Ratchaburi residents fly into action against farm pests

Residents of Ban Pong in Ratchaburi province have taken action against swarms of flies from a neighbouring duck farm in Nakhon Pathom, which has disrupted their daily lives and caused health issues.

Over 20 residents from Moo 12, Nong O Subdistrict, Ban Pong District, Ratchaburi, lodged a complaint at the Damrongtham Centre. They reported that thousands of flies from a nearby duck farm in Nakhon Pathom have invaded their homes. The infestation led to numerous residents suffering from diarrhoea and conjunctivitis. Many resorted to eating under mosquito nets due to the overwhelming number of flies.

Thatchasupha, a local, expressed her frustration.

“It’s been like this for years. We can’t keep using insecticides because it’s not safe, especially with children in the house. Many of us have had conjunctivitis, and we frequently suffer from diarrhoea, requiring hospital visits. We don’t want to demand much; we just want the farm to clean up and disinfect the source to prevent flies from breeding.

“This problem has persisted for almost ten years. It’s not just one household affected, all surrounding homes have to swat away flies while eating, and some even eat under nets. I’ve spent thousands on fly traps. We’ve hired people to spray insecticides but the flies always return in the evening. We urge the relevant authorities to provide proper guidance on duck farming to prevent such environmental issues.”

Veena Chokprom-anant, the village head of Moo 12, visited the duck farm and spoke with the owner. The farm owner apologised to the residents and promised to remove the duck manure from the area promptly. They assured that no manure would be left outside the farm to prevent attracting flies and disturbing the community, reported KhaoSod.

In related news, a traveller’s recent trip to Chiang Mai took an unexpected turn when a planned relaxing bath turned into an encounter with a swarm of insects. The traveller chose a picturesque accommodation with a bathtub on the balcony, offering stunning mountain views during the day. However, as night fell, the situation drastically changed.