An aggressive wild monkey sparked panic when it was seen climbing school buildings and shimmying down the drainpipes.

Footage shows the male macaque scaling the facade of the Wat Saen Suk Municipal School in Ang Thong province, central Thailand, on November 8.

The primate was believed to have been separated from its troop at the Wat Kai temple in nearby Ayutthaya province.

Worried parents urged teachers to properly close the classroom doors and windows during classes, fearing the hostile animal might hurt the schoolchildren.

Chomkorn Reabroi, the school's acting director, said the monkey had been roaming around the school since November 6.

She said: 'We initially contacted the municipal authorities, who sent staff to ensure security, but they couldn't find it. The following day, the macaque reappeared in the morning and started wandering around the school premises.'

She added they were requesting assistance from the Pa Mok Police Station and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation to catch the macaque.

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.