Phana Monkey Project

Phana Monkey Project welcomes visits from volunteers and students!

Contact: phanamonkeyproject@gmail.com

Phana Monkey Project: Aims and Structure

The aims of the Phana Monkey Project are to:

·        promote the safety and well-being of the monkey population of Phana

·        promote the Don Chao Poo Forest as a research and educational resource

·        initiate on-going research

·        produce and provide educational materials and opportunities for students

·        make and promote recommendations for the maintenance of the forest habitat, the development of tourist visits and school visits, and the monitoring and control of visitors and provisioning of monkeys

The structure of Phana Monkey Project:

The Phana Monkey Project was set up in 2010 in memory of Pensri Mahanil Whiting’s parents, Ta Rin and Yai Homhuan Mahanil. Rin and Homhuan Mahanil had spent their lives teaching in Phana, and Rin had also been instrumental as Chairman of the Village Development Committee in having the local forest declared a conservation area and sanctuary for the long-tailed macaques living there.

Their descendants were particularly concerned that a use could be found for the house built by Rin and Homhuan Mahanil as it had stood empty for some years. Funds were donated by the family and subsequently by other people in Phana in order to restore the house and set up an educational facility and a centre for research focussed on the forest.

A Committee was set up to supervise the use of funds and a list of Aims was drawn up. The Phana Monkey Project is a private trust fund and as such is not registered. This means that funds can be used at any time and no fixed capital has to be established.

Subsequently, the Don Chao Poo Research Centre and the Rin-Homhuan Mahanil Study Centre were registered with the Data Centre, Ministry of Culture, on 8^th March 2012.

These two facilities, under the umbrella of the Phana Monkey Project, are currently funded by personal donations and by income received from volunteers and students accommodated at the Research Centre.