1.
SV: farmers catching rats in field.
0.11

2.
SV PAN: hand tractor going through field.
0.21

3.
SV: farmers catching rats (2 shots)
0.32

4.
SV: farmer killing rat and drops into bag.
0.38

5.
SV: rats held up to camera.
0.45

6.
SV: rats being taken from fire where lightly roasted PAN TO CU being placed in basket.
0.56

7.
CU: rats being washed in river
1.02

8.
SV: people watching
1.05

9.
CU: rats being washed in river
1.14

10.
CU: meal of rats being prepared (3 shots)
1.25

11.
CU: rats being boiled in oil.
1.31

12.
SV: rats being roasted.
1.36

13.
CU: live rats in cage
1.41

14.
SV: cooked rat meat on sale in market. (2 shots)
1.52

15.
SV: people sitting in street eating cooked rat meat.
2.05



Initials RH/1600



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A massive, week-long rat-hunting campaign has just ended in Thailand after abortive efforts to poison thousands of rats over-running rich farm land north of the capital. And, the hunt over, it was a case of "waste not, want not" with the protein-rich vermin....local villagers ate them.

SYNOPSIS: Something like 30,000 people from several villages in Patum Thani district were divided into small groups for the hunt. And they went about the task with gusto. Small hand-driven tractors were brought in to frighten the rats out of the undergrowth...and the hunt was on. In this area alone rats have damaged about half a million dollars worth of rice crop this year ...and with the vermin building up an immunity to poisons...this is the only way to get rid of them.

The tails are cut off and later handed to the villagers local hunt committee...and the one who catches the rat with the biggest tail gets a trophy. Meanwhile...everyone gets to take part in celebration rat barbecue.

The rats are first carefully washed and cleaned in the river before being cooked. The whole process is carefully watched by locals...they get a free meal for taking part in the hunt.

A touch of black pepper...a bit of salt...and lots of garlic go into making the sauce that will go with the rats. Then they are boiled in oil and roasted.

About 70,000 rats were caught during the week long campaign...and that means there is more than enough barbecued rat to go round at the hunters' feast. So the rest is sold to people who did not take part...at 75 cents a kilogramme.

As one official said...the rats have been eating our crops...now it is our turn to eat the rats.