PHUKET — Two Phuket Provincial Police officers, who were off-duty and exercising on Khao To Sae hill in central Phuket, came to the aid of a Russian female tourist who was attacked by a monkey that snatched her bag while she and her friend were walking on the hill.
Lance Corporal Supachai Arunchoat and Lance Corporal Phuthip Chottiwattanakorn suspected that the female tourist might have gotten too close to the monkey, causing it to jump onto the foreign woman’s back. It then grabbed various items from her, including her phone, room key card, bag, and battery charger, before escaping up a tree. They happened to pass by and offered to help.
Based on information from local residents that if someone wants to retrieve items stolen by monkeys, they should throw rocks up (but not hit the monkeys), and the monkeys will throw the items back down. He followed this advice, and indeed, the monkey released all the items. He then collected and returned them to the tourist.
Afterward, they took photos together, which were shared on the Newshawk Phuket Facebook page. People left playful comments such as “naughty monkey” and “how many years in prison for this offense?” One person shared their experience: “I was once kicked in the back by a monkey on Khao To Sae hill just because I wanted to return an umbrella, officer.”
Lance Corporal Supachai advised tourists hiking on the hill to keep their distance from monkeys. Some people might think monkeys are friendly, but they like to snatch things. Visitors should avoid carrying items or getting too close to monkeys, as some can be aggressive.
Khao To Sae is located on a hill over 250 meters high in Ratsada sub-district, Mueang district. It’s an eco-tourism spot in Phuket with seven scenic viewpoints, each offering different beautiful views. There’s also a health park surrounded by lush forests with various wildlife, with monkeys and squirrels being the most commonly seen.
Earlier this year, the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization held a meeting to address the problem of monkeys attacking tourists on Khao To Sae. The meeting resulted in assigning the Phuket Forestry Center to notify unauthorized vendors in the forest area to cease operations and remove their shops immediately. They were also tasked with finding ways to feed the monkeys that wouldn’t cause trouble for tourists.
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