Mystery surrounding monkeys disappearing from temple
A monkey mystery has been forming in the northeast province of Loei, complete with unexplained clandestine g-men. Tham Pha Mak Ho Temple was a popular hangout for hundreds of monkeys, but they have been disappearing in big numbers recently.
An investigation has been launched in the Wang Saphung district in the sparsely populated Isaan province following the mysterious disappearance of hundreds of macaque monkeys from Tham Pha Mak Ho Temple. The district chief officer ordered the investigation after complaints were made by visitors who claimed that they had watched the number of monkeys in the temple drop from thousands to hundreds.
Adding to the enigmatic nature of the case, a resident reported that, last December, men claiming to be forest officials showed up at the monkey temple. They arrived with tranquiliser guns, saying they came to capture and relocate some of the monkeys.
The residents claim the men said the temple, the neighbourhood, and even the crops growing nearby were suffering damage from the thousands of macaque monkeys.
But were these men government officers? If not, who were they? The district chief approached forest and livestock officials to ask if they were involved with capturing the monkeys, but none of them said they had anything to do with it.
Officials are now launching a probe to figure out where these monkeys went and who took them. They are investigating the possibility that the monkeys were taken and exported.
The Tham Pha Mak Ho Temple, located in Ban Thai Charoen village of Si Songkhram sub-district, was once home to around 3,000 monkeys, but now only around 200 remain. This has led to concerns and calls for action to uncover the truth behind the sudden disappearance of the macaques.
The investigation will aim to shed light on what has happened to the monkeys missing from the temple and to determine if any laws or regulations were violated.
