Bird-feeding tourists put fun over safety
Continuing to buy bird feed for the pigeons at Chiang Mai’s Tha Phae Gate, Chinese tourists were on Friday unwittingly defying a prime minister’s order prompted by concern over disease being spread.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had instructed the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and provincial administrations to stop people from feeding pigeons in a bid to reduce the populations and guard against diseases that could infect humans.
Chiang Mai chief livestock development officer Songsak Sri-amporn said his officials conduct spot checks on pigeons at the Tha Phae Gate every two months to ensure no disease is spreading among the birds.
Chiang Mai Mayor Thassanai Buranupakorn said signs had been erected warning against feeding birds at the gate and in Nong Buak Had Park.
He said feeding the birds only led to more of them gathering in the same spots and the numbers would dwindle only after people stop feeding them.