A longtail macaque drinking juice in front of the Prang Sam Yod Buddhist temple in the town of Lopburi. AFP
A longtail macaque drinking juice in front of the Prang Sam Yod Buddhist temple in the town of Lopburi. AFP
While they fight each other and humans, and are generally a menace, locals say they will miss the monkeys if they are gone. AFP
While they fight each other and humans, and are generally a menace, locals say they will miss the monkeys if they are gone. AFP
The monkeys are usually a major draw for tourists who want to snap photos of the gregarious little beasts. AFP
The monkeys are usually a major draw for tourists who want to snap photos of the gregarious little beasts. AFP
Residents barricaded indoors, rival gang fights and no-go zones for humans. AFP
Residents barricaded indoors, rival gang fights and no-go zones for humans. AFP
The ancient Thai city is overrun by monkeys super-charged on junk food, whose population is growing out of control. AFP
The ancient Thai city is overrun by monkeys super-charged on junk food, whose population is growing out of control. AFP
The ancient Thai city is overrun by monkeys super-charged on junk food, whose population is growing out of control. AFP
The ancient Thai city is overrun by monkeys super-charged on junk food, whose population is growing out of control. AFP
The government has relaunched a sterilisation programmer for the longtail macaque, but they may not be able to treat enough of the animals to bring the population under control. AFP
The government has relaunched a sterilisation programmer for the longtail macaque, but they may not be able to treat enough of the animals to bring the population under control. AFP
The ancient Thai city is overrun by monkeys super-charged on junk food, whose population is growing out of control. AFP
The ancient Thai city is overrun by monkeys super-charged on junk food, whose population is growing out of control. AFP
The monkeys are usually a major draw for tourists who want to snap photos of the gregarious little beasts. AFP
The monkeys are usually a major draw for tourists who want to snap photos of the gregarious little beasts. AFP
The monkeys are usually a major draw for tourists who want to snap photos of the gregarious little beasts. AFP
The monkeys are usually a major draw for tourists who want to snap photos of the gregarious little beasts. AFP
A longtail macaque tears down a poster reading "Don't feed the monkeys" in the town of Lopburi. AFP
A longtail macaque tears down a poster reading "Don't feed the monkeys" in the town of Lopburi. AFP
Lopburi's monkey population is the town's main tourist attraction but it’s growing unsustainable. AFP
Lopburi's monkey population is the town's main tourist attraction but it’s growing unsustainable. AFP
The government has relaunched a sterilisation programmer for the longtail macaque, but they may not be able to treat enough of the animals to bring the population under control. AFP
The government has relaunched a sterilisation programmer for the longtail macaque, but they may not be able to treat enough of the animals to bring the population under control. AFP
The government has relaunched a sterilisation programmer for the longtail macaque, but they may not be able to treat enough of the animals to bring the population under control. AFP
The government has relaunched a sterilisation programmer for the longtail macaque, but they may not be able to treat enough of the animals to bring the population under control. AFP
The government has relaunched a sterilisation programmer for the longtail macaque, but they may not be able to treat enough of the animals to bring the population under control. AFP
The government has relaunched a sterilisation programmer for the longtail macaque, but they may not be able to treat enough of the animals to bring the population under control. AFP
The government has relaunched a sterilisation programmer for the longtail macaque, but they may not be able to treat enough of the animals to bring the population under control. AFP
The government has relaunched a sterilisation programmer for the longtail macaque, but they may not be able to treat enough of the animals to bring the population under control. AFP

Asia

Man vs Monkey: Thai town fights back 'violent junk food-fuelled' macaque horde

When the monkeys brought the tourists, the situation was calm. But since the coronavirus lockdown, the gregarious little beasts have turned violent

AFP

June 25, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Residents barricaded indoors, rival gang fights and no-go zones for humans. Welcome to Lopburi, an ancient Thai city overrun by monkeys super-charged on junk food, whose population is growing out of control.

Pointing to the overhead netting covering her terrace, Kuljira Taechawattanawanna bemoans the monkey menace across the heart of the 13th-century city in the central province of the same name.

"We live in a cage, but the monkeys live outside," she says.

"Their excrement is everywhere, the smell is unbearable especially when it rains."

The fearless primates rule the streets around the Prang Sam Yod temple in the centre of Lopburi, patrolling the tops of walls and brazenly ripping the rubber seals from car doors.

Their antics were largely tolerated as a major lure for the tourist hordes who descended on the city before the coronavirus outbreak to feed and snap selfies with the plucky animals.

But a government sterilisation campaign is now being waged against the creatures after the epidemic provoked an unexpected change in their behaviour.

As foreign tourism – Thailand's cash cow – seized up, so did the flow of free bananas tossed their way, prodding the macaques to turn to violence.

Footage of hundreds of them brawling over food in the streets went viral on social media in March.

Their growing numbers – doubling in three years to 6,000 – have made an uneasy coexistence with their human peers almost intolerable.

Some areas of the city have simply been surrendered to the monkeys.

An abandoned cinema is the macaques' headquarters – and cemetery. Dead monkeys are laid to rest by their peers in the projection room in the cinema's rear and any human who enters is attacked.

Nearby, a shop owner displays stuffed tiger and crocodile toys to try to scare off the monkeys, who regularly snatch spray-paint cans from his store.

No one in Lopburi seems to remember a time without the monkeys, with some speculating that the urban creep into nearby forest displaced the simians into the city.

Residents have taken it upon themselves to feed the macaques to prevent clashes.

But locals say the sugary diet of fizzy drinks, cereal and sweets has fuelled their sex lives.

"The more they eat, the more energy they have... so they breed more," says Pramot Ketampai, who manages the Prang Sam Yod temple's surrounding shrines.

The macaques' mob fights have drawn the attention of authorities, who restarted a sterilisation programme this month after a three-year pause.

Wildlife department officers lure the animals into cages with fruit and take them to a clinic where they are anaesthetised, sterilised and left with a tattoo to mark their neutering.

They aim to fix 500 of the creatures by Friday.

But the campaign may not be enough to quell their numbers and the department has a long-term plan to build a sanctuary in another part of the city.

But that will likely be met with resistance from the human residents.

"We need to do a survey of the people living in the area first," said Narongporn Daudduem from the wildlife department.

"It's like dumping garbage in front of their houses and asking them if they're happy or not."

Taweesak Srisaguan, the shop owner in Lopburi who uses stuffed animals as a deterrent to the unwanted monkey visitors, says that despite his daily joust with the creatures, he will miss them if they are moved.

"I'm used to seeing them walking around, playing on the street," he says.

"If they're all gone, I'd definitely be lonely."

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FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate? 
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties? 
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Saturday  (UAE kick-off times)

Leganes v Getafe (12am)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Levante v Alaves (4pm)

Real Madrid v Sevilla (7pm)

Osasuna v Valladolid (9.30pm)

Sunday

Eibar v Atletico Madrid (12am)

Mallorca v Valencia (3pm)

Real Betis v Real Sociedad (5pm)

Villarreal v Espanyol (7pm)

Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)

Monday

Barcelona v Granada (12am)

Match info

Athletic Bilbao 0

Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)

The Florida Project

Director: Sean Baker

Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe

Four stars

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0
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Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East