A wild monkey rummaged through a rice cooker in a restaurant's kitchen.

Footage shows the primate sticking its head and arms inside the stainless steel pot to find something to eat in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand on February 14.

The creature closed the lid when the owner of the place arrived, seemingly torn between fleeing and continuing its meal.

Onlooker Chalisa Senpong said she had just finished eating when the monkey arrived.

She said: ‘The monkey climbed down from a tree outside the kitchen. It went straight to the rice cooker like it knew where the food was being kept.'

Another monkey was seen hanging from the branch touching the roof outside but it was careful not to enter the restaurant as there were people.

Chalisa added: ‘The other monkey was not as adventurous as the one that stole from the pot.

‘The owner of the place eventually chased the monkey away before it could damage the pots and pans.'