An aggressive southern pig-tailed macaque terrorised vendors as it tore through a public market in Thailand.

The adult male primate had wandered into the community area and began to pick through fruit stalls at the Kaset Suwaphan Muang Thong Food Market in Ang Thong province on October 29.

The macaque gorged on fruits and snacks while baring its fangs at anyone who dared to approach.

Locals tried to lure the monkey away with bananas but it ignored them to grab a bag of bread before retreating into the wilderness.

The market-goers said the macaque had been seen at the market several months before. They said it may have hitched a ride on a vendor's truck coming in from neighbouring Ayutthaya or Lopburi provinces.

Council officials are now monitoring the area to try and catch the monkey so it can be relocated.

The southern pigtailed macaque is a medium-sized primate found in Southeast Asia, known for its distinctive tail with a kink near the end. They are social animals and live in hierarchical groups, often foraging for fruits, leaves, and small animals in their forest habitats.

Thailand's growing population of primates has become a problem as the animals are known to damage property, such as cars and buildings. Unafraid of the consequences, they have also started stealing food from tourists and locals.

Meanwhile, the Thai government is taking steps to manage the monkey population in the country, including creating sanctuaries, mass sterilisation programs, educating the public on how to handle the animals properly, and relocating them to more suitable habitats.