Lop Buri residents urged to eat pigeons

LOP BURI, May 8 (TNA) – Lop Buri province urges local residents to eat pigeons in a bid to control overpopulation of the birds in this central province. The local authorities have launched the public relations campaign to encourage people to eat the bird after the fast-growing number of pigeons caused nuisance and their droppings damaged temples, government offices, said Pleak Theprak, Lop Buri's Muang district chief, who initiated the idea to control the pigeon population. The number of pigeon increases four to five folds each year, he said if there is nothing done, the town will face more problems. Now, people cannot drink rainwater, full of the bird droppings. People, who catch the pigeons, can sell them to livestock officials at 10 baht for each bird. The authorities support people to eat the well-cooked pigeons by organizing the cooking competition for pigeon menus. Cash prizes were offered to winners. The birds were cooked for various dishes such as frying pigeons and spicy pigeon papaya salad. (TNA)