Lemur in busy shopping mall seems cruel

Dear Editor,
I was just in the Maya Mall where they are having some Japanese fair with girls in geisha outfits, and oddly parrots and what I think is a lemur. I really do not know what a lemur or parrots has to do with Japanese culture.
There was a caretaker for the animals and the parrots seemed happy enough, they were not tethered and seemed to enjoy the attention. However, the lemur seemed very docile (very sleepy looking), but didn’t actually seemed drugged, just seemed very tired.
I don’t know what the natural disposition of a lemuris, so have no idea if his responses etc were normal. However, what struck me of course was the typical noisy Thai environment, speakers blaring. music playing. And of course that anyone could touch him (although I have to say that people were very gentle towards him.
Just thought it was in general poor taste to have this kind of animal on display to the general public in a noisy mall environment.
I felt very sorry for him.
Signed,
Concerned animal lover

Editor responds
Dear Animal Lover
The lemur is a nocturnal animal native to Madagascar and so not only would be tired as it’s normally asleep during the day, but also not particularly related to Japan at all. It may also be a slow loris, which is native to South East Asia and also has big eyes and a snout like the lemur. If it is a slow loris they are considered “Vulnerable” and are related to the lemur and are also nocturnal animals. It should be noted that besides deforestation the greatest threat to the slow loris is wildlife trade, they are cute and people think they are pets. Although trade in these animals is prohibited by the CITES agreement it would seem they are a trendy pet in Japan, so perhaps it was for this reason that it was on show at the mall. Slow loris, like most wild animals, are not safe cuddly creatures as they have a potentially lethal bite. Let’s hope that wherever the organizers of the event got the slow loris from that it is returned to a more natural habitat and lifestyle.
Shana Kongmun
Managing Editor

Complaint about community happenings

Dear Editor,
Send this to the complaint department. So many of the events posted in “Community Happenings” are incorrect. For instance none of the three e-mails nor the phone are correct in Monday’s notices of an entity called “art conspiracy”. Many others are not reachable, or say every week when they are every other week or closed down.
Certain people here are ruining their Karma by wasting my time and energy by incorrect posting. Can you punish those people or put them up for public ridicule? Ha Ha.
Other than that complaint, I love your weekly paper.
Cheers and best wishes
Joyce

Editor responds
Dear Joyce,
Thanks for letting us know, although we try our best to make sure the community happenings calendar is updated with the latest information we can only go on what we are given. We certainly don’t have the resources to chase people down to make sure they have given us the correct information and we can only hope that when people do choose to make changes that they will let us know in time for deadline.
Often this is not the case – either we never hear or it’s too late for print. We do try our hardest but really it’s only as good as the people who contribute their events.
Thank you
Shana Kongmun
Managing Editor
 

Was this insane or stupid?

Dear Editor,
This morning at Chiang Mai Gate, a male vagrant with matted hair wearing tattered black garments was sauntering across the street. The occupant in the car nearest the crosswalk must have been irritated at his slowness crossing the street. The passenger threw an empty soda can at him hitting the lost soul in the head. I never thought I would see that disgusting behavior in my lovely home city of Chiang Mai.
I hope my letter will warn people that others are watching when these incidents happen.
Yours,
Disgusted

Wastewater flows directly into the street

Dear Editor
Please see two photos taken recently on Nimmanhaemin Soi 17 behind a Korean style BBQ restaurant. The wastewater from their kitchen flows directly into the alley and is very smelly, dirty and polluted. Neighbors have complained to the Municipality about this but so far there has been no action taken.
Given the problem with dengue fever mosquitoes and pollution I hope that the Municipality will send someone to warn them, perhaps have the Health Department check their cleanliness too.
Signed
Disgusted Thai resident
 

Lemur in busy shopping mall seems cruel

Complaint about community happenings

Was this insane or stupid?

Wastewater flows directly into the street

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Note: Letters printed herein in no way reflect the opinions of the editors or writers for Chiang Mai Mail, but are unsolicited letters from our readers, expressing their own opinions. No anonymous letters or those without genuine addresses are printed, and, whilst we do not object to the use of a nom de plume, preference will be given to those signed.
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