Making Demerit: Amazonian Predator Fish Freed by Karma-Seekers

Teeranai Charuvastra
Khao Sod English

LAMPANG — A large fish released into a public park by temple-goers turned out to be the predatorial Amazonian arapaima, officials said Monday.


The well-intended release at a large pond located inside Nong Krathing Park sparked a hunt for the fish due to concerns that the alien species could damage local ecology, fishery official Samatchai Thongkamchum told reporters.


The fish in question is a 30 kilogram arapaima native to the Amazons, which is considered an an aggressive predator and an invasive species to Thai waters, Samatchai said.

MORE Making Demerit: Amazonian Predator Fish Freed by Karma-Seekers

These things grow huge.
Bit of a sport fish.

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2019/02/234.jpg

Temple can make money selling fishing tickets?

Years back, working at Tha Chang, I often used to grab lunch at Tha Phra Chang - walking along the river between the two, a couple of Thais used to sell fish from a bucket to be released into the Chao Phraya for merit; many times folks would buy the fish and release them directly into the river where a large old fish was awaiting and would swallow them whole before they touched the water surface... Some Thai tourists actually broke into tears at this point, but the nice Thai vendors kept selling those fish at the same location for the 6 years I worked in the area...

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Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Years back, working at Tha Chang, I often used to grab lunch at Tha Phra Chang - walking along the river between the two, a couple of Thais used to sell fish from a bucket to be released into the Chao Phraya for merit; many times folks would buy the fish and release them directly into the river where a large old fish was awaiting and would swallow them whole before they touched the water surface... Some Thai tourists actually broke into tears at this point, but the nice Thai vendors kept selling those fish at the same location for the 6 years I worked in the area...

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Circle of life....that large fish had to eat. What did the teary Thais think?

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Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Temple can make money selling fishing tickets?

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If they could set it up whereby no escape to wider waters was possible and all fish caught were dead before leaving, this is a decent idea.


There is a question: How did the exotic species get into the country to be released, as per the OP? Are these already wild in Thailand?

It looks like the fish that some Chinese Thai keep in tanks at home for good luck. Very expensive (relative to other tank fish). Often seen in the fish tank near the entrance at restaurants.

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Originally Posted by Maanaam

Circle of life....that large fish had to eat. What did the teary Thais think?

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No merit, bad karma, bad luck, you know, the normal stuff.

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Originally Posted by Maanaam

If they could set it up whereby no escape to wider waters was possible and all fish caught were dead before leaving, this is a decent idea.

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No, make sure they swim straight into a net and be hauled back to the point of sale. Win-win.

Profit and consumption....