Tipping the scales
'They are disgusting, they scare me, they hurt with their deadly saliva, and they destroy the trees." These are among the seemingly endless complaints made against water monitor lizards by the many people who use Lumpini Park for workouts and recreation. After extensive complaints, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration decided to remove the "uneasy on the eyes" animal from the park last month.
Accessories made from the water monitor's skin are among the fashion world's most expensive products. But while top fashion labels eagerly seek out the skin to make their bags, shoes and belts, Thai people refuse to regard it as a luxury item. The water monitor remains deeply stigmatised, a fact driven by a set of long-standing cultural beliefs.
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