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First they were a tourist attraction, now they have become a problem: over 3,500 macaques have invaded the streets of the Thai city of Lopburi, leaving the inhabitants in a state of chaos and the authorities trying to find a solution. According to the South China Post, the growing monkey population is threatening to turn Lopburi into a ghost town: Chinese investors are withholding their funds until authorities take substantial steps to address this pressing problem.
Reports from the city tell of shops being forced to lower their shutters as monkeys roam freely, historic sites have become off-limits, with the once-thriving center now abandoned by tourists and investors. According to local media, commercial activities have been almost completely cleared out in the area in front of the historic monument Phra Prang Sam Yot.
Attempts to control the monkey population have failed and government efforts have proved ineffective: Covid lockdowns have exacerbated the situation, leading to an increase in violence by monkeys towards humans.
In 2020, hundreds of macaques from two rival monkey gangs were filmed (watch the video) as they fought each other in the streets of Lopburi. Residents have taken desperate measures, from barricading their homes to creating no-go zones in areas overrun by rival monkey gangs.
Initially, the locals tried to appease the animals with junk food, but this only led to the increase in aggression on the part of the animals. Before the pandemic, harmony existed between humans and monkeys in Lopburi, with tourists feeding and posing with the macaques. However, the disruption to tourism has left the monkeys hungry and looking for alternative food sources. Now, monkeys rule the streets, setting up ambushes from rooftops, causing chaos on the roads and even resorting to robbing passing cars.
In response, Thailand's National Parks Department launched a sterilization program in an attempt to curb the rapid growth of the monkey population.
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