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Published on September 30, 2007

"The project has been well received," said deputy governor Wallop Suwandee.

About 7,000 dogs and their 1,500 masters showed up at City Hall to avail of the free implanting service offered by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for three months, or until the initial stock of 50,000 ICs is exhausted.

Wallop said it was a historic day because it was the first time microchips had been embedded in dogs.

The service will be expanded to the four corners of the capital, he said.

Now that the campaign is under way, dogs without owners or chips will be removed from the streets at the rate of about 200 per day and trained for official uses.

Stray dogs make a bad impression on foreign tourists coming here, said Wallop.

Popular singer Anchalee Chongkadeekit had a chip inserted in one dog and said she would bring the rest of her 13 pooches at a later time.

"I think microchip implanting is good. It makes owners more responsible. It's like cars, which need a licence so people know who owns it when it goes missing or ends up in a crash. It's good for dogs and owners."

Others like Paradee Poompitak, 35, who keeps three dogs, said it was a neat idea because if her darlings got stolen, they could be easily identified.

The unpleasant side was that dog dung was not properly disposed of, despite the announcement for owners to pick up plastic bags provided by the BMA for the purpose.

The service is available from 8am-4pm.

Mayuree Suyingcharoenwong

 The Nation