Campers banned from cooking delicious meals at Thai national parks

Boiling instant noodles and eggs is okay. Want to stir-fry basil leaves with chili and minced pork? What about a moo krata outdoor barbecue? Those are hard nos.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has imposed new rules banning national park visitors from cooking food with a “strong odor” to prevent attracting wildlife such as monkeys and deer.

The department’s director, Damras Phoprasit, said the newly imposed regulation will also help protect the environment, as campfire smoke may adversely impact the surroundings.

“Can you imagine tourists in 200 tents cooking and grilling at the same time? The smoke could blanket the area,” Damras said. “Let’s not forget that national parks must be a model in maintaining the environment.”

However, simple meals that lack “pungent odors” can still be made by campers, such as boiling…