In an unusual scene, Thailand's temple town Lopburi recently witnessed violence between two gangs of monkeys. Multiple videos have surfaced online of what many are now calling a gang war of monkeys.
UK's DailyMail reported that law-enforcement officers in Lopburi have had to arm themselves with slingshots and tranquilizers in order to protect themselves.
Police Major General Apirak Wechkanchana said monkeys have started to pose a threat to tourists and locals. The slingshots now being carried by officers, he said, will help to threaten the monkeys when necessary.
Yammi, a social media user, shared a video on X, in which hundreds of monkeys can be seen fighting each other. "The city of Lopburi is experiencing unprecedented violence between two monkey gangs," he said, adding the authorities have been mobilised to quell the chaos and are currently attempting to relocate the primates.
The person further said that local authorities successfully apprehended one of the gang leaders, Ai Krao, using a tranquilizer gun. "Upon his arrest, cries could be heard from his subordinates."
In a post on March 29, Yammi said 7 monkeys were arrested. The authorities said the monkeys' familiarity with firearms and their ability to interpret human body language poses challenges in apprehending them.
In February this year, The South China Post reported that an army of some 3,500 monkeys invaded a city center in Thailand, keeping tourists away and forcing businesses to shut down.
The report said that several companies and stores shut their operations and fled Lopburi city, once a thriving trade hub in the province, with some 3,500 simians taking control of the area.