Monkeys fetching coconuts 'is like hogs finding truffles'More politicians have come out to reject accusations that monkeys are trained by Thai farmers to harvest coconuts and are often abused, which has prompted boycotts of coconut milk products from Thailand in several Western countries. Kla Party secretary-general Atavit Suwannapakdee, likened the use of monkeys in coconut picking in Thailand to the use of hogs in finding truffles in some Western countries. In Thailand some monkeys are used to pick coconuts because coconuts are a key ingredient in various Thai dishes, he said. Likewise, in the Western world, hogs are trained to find truffles, which are then used as ingredients in various Western dishes, he said. However, Peta Senior Vice President Jason Baker yesterday dismissed Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit's denial that Thailand used monkeys to pick coconuts on an industrial scale.

Source: Bangkok Post July 07, 2020 23:15 UTC