Monkey Training College

Suratthani is home to a very unusual kind of college, this one is for monkeys only. I had been hearing about it for a while and finally took a trip out there with a group of new teachers before the term started. The Monkey Training College is actually a school for monkeys to learn how to pick coconuts. Farm owners purchase monkeys and then enroll them in the 6 month training program where they are first given a health screening and allowed to acclimate to the new environment. Then, once they are deemed ready, they go through various levels of training and instruction until they are finally competent at choosing ripe coconuts, spinning them until they fall to the ground and can be collected!

yes, that monkey is drinking out of a juice box..

The whole process and concept of it was quite interesting, but also brought up some mixed emotions among us - as in a way it kind of felt like they were being trained for slave labor... is it cruel to use their natural climbing ability for profit? how are they being treated? is it humane to keep them chained up? is it any different than the way we use other animals? is it different than keeping a pet in your home? what is the definition of a domesticated animal? None of these questions really have concrete answers and I wasn't even sure after leaving how I felt about it all, but I did know that I didn't want to pose for a photo with a chained up monkey. But I did enjoy the fresh coconut water - my favorite!!!!!!

I always prefer seeing animals free and in the wild, but I also have to admit that the woman seemed really gentle and even loving with them. She really took time to build a relationship with each of the monkeys and it was clear that she was very good to them - of course how they are treated on the farms I am sure varies from owner to owner and she has no control over what happens after they graduate from her college!

They also had a really neat pineapple plantation on their grounds - and I, for one, had no idea that pineapples grow from the ground! The people were so nice they even pulled a pineapple plant and gave it to me to take home and replant - too bad it takes over a year for one pineapple to grow!!!!!!!