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PETA Uncovers Heartbreaking Exploitation of Monkeys in the Thai Coconut Industry

A Look Back at the Explosive PETA Asia Investigations That Blew the Lid off the Thai Coconut Industry

Forced Monkey Labor in the Thai Coconut Industry
Investigation 1:

PETA Asia Discovers Monkeys Exploited on Thai Coconut Farms

Investigation 2:

PETA Asia Digs Deeper Into the Coconut Industry as the Thai Government and Chaokoh Ignore the Evidence

In 2020, PETA Asia investigators went back to the same farms they had examined during their first investigation and found that Chaokoh was still using coconuts obtained by monkey labor and that the Thai government was ignoring the cruel practice. 

They dug deeper into the industry and discovered “monkey schools,” where infant monkeys who had been kidnapped from their mothers were chained up and forcibly “trained” to pick coconuts. They also learned that some “trainers” made extra money by forcing the monkeys under their control to participate in circus-style shows, entertaining paying customers by riding bicycles, shooting basketballs, and performing other confusing and demeaning tricks.  

Investigation 3:

PETA Asia Disproves Thai Government’s Phony ‘Monkey-Free’ Claims

PETA Persuades a Thailand-Based Coconut Company to Leave Its Home Country

In a historic move, Thailand-based company Chef’s Choice Foods confirmed that it would no longer obtain coconuts from its home country. After speaking with PETA and learning about the depth of corruption in the Thai coconut industry, the company moved its supply chain to a different country in order to ensure fully that no monkeys would be harmed to make its products.

Investigation 4:

PETA Persuades Company to Become First Monkey-Free Thai Brand

Between 2023 and 2024, PETA Asia conducted a fourth investigation into the Thai coconut industry, which found again that monkey labor persisted without penalty. One key finding in this investigation was the discovery of monkey labor on a farm that sells coconuts to a company called Merit Food Products.  

Merit Food Products is a large coconut milk producer in Thailand, and many major brands in the U.S. do business with it, including 365 by Whole Foods Market.  

Back in 2022, during PETA Asia’s third investigation, investigators exposed an Merit Food Products coconut milk brand for buying coconuts from a farm using monkey labor. In a 2023 letter to PETA, the farm actually confirmed its use of monkeys and even its relationship with Merit Food Products.  

Since then, Thailand’s Department of Agriculture has issued Merit Food Products a “monkey-free” certificate as part of its push to persuade consumers that nothing was amiss in the Thai coconut industry. But during a new 2024 investigation, investigators inspected another farm that was certified “monkey-free” and sold coconuts to Merit Food Products. There they witnessed workers yanking tethered monkeys from tree to tree as they forced them to pick coconuts. There was no attempt to hide the monkeys from investigators, which just goes to show that “monkey-free” assurances from the Thai government can’t be trusted.  

But a silver lining appeared when PETA brought its concerns to Merit Food Products. The compassionate company took action to eliminate the offending farms from its supply chain and move its sourcing to other countries, just as Chef’s Choice Foods had done. It also worked hard to ensure that five farms in Thailand would operate without exploiting monkeys. After an additional, private investigation into the five local farms, PETA is delighted to recognize Merit Food Products as the first monkey-free company sourcing from Thailand! 

Merit Food Products is leading the way, but PETA won’t stop working until all coconut farms in Thailand are monkey-free.

Take Action

Urge the Thai government to shut down all “monkey schools” and ban monkey labor immediately. And until the Thai coconut industry is completely monkey-free, PETA urges consumers not to buy Thai coconut milk unless the brand is on our list at PETA.org/ThaiCoconut. 

Monkeys Forced Into Labor on Thai Coconut Farms—Demand Government Action!

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