June 3, 2022 “smallpox monkey” affect “Monkey” Thousands of monkeys at Wat Phra Phutthachai, Saraburi province, are starving after tourists dared to buy food for the monkeys for fear of contracting the disease. While the merchants lacked income, they had to close the shop to find a new job.
Wat Phra Phutthachai Located at Mu 1, Nong Pla Lai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Saraburi Province, is a royal temple and a tourist attraction with caves and churches on top of the hill. Tourists often come to visit caves, churches and pay homage to Buddha images. along with buying food for the macaques to eat but lately since “Monkey pox” is now spreading, leaving tourists afraid of contracting the disease. No one comes to visit and feed the monkeys. As a result, the total number of 5,000 monkeys is starvation and has no food to eat.
On the other hand, the fruit seller has gradually closed the shop because there are no tourists to buy food for the monkeys to eat. Ask Mrs. Ban Muen, a 72-year-old woman, who said that she is a seller. Now she sells bad things. Since the onset of COVID-19 And also came across a new disease “smallpox monkey”. Even more severe, people do not dare to come in fear of contracting the disease from monkeys, some days it can be sold for 100 baht, some days it can be sold for 20 baht.
Now he was in trouble, unable to sell. From selling 300-400 baht per day, it has been reduced to less than 100 baht per day. Some days it is 20 baht. Previously, there were 9 shops here. When the epidemic was found, there were only 2 left.
News by Somyot Pimmasorn, Saraburi Province
