A baby boy was rushed to a hospital after crazed wild monkeys bit into his skull and left him covered in blood.

Three-month-old infant Nong Muallim was drinking milk in his crib when the troop of crab-eating macaques entered the house on Koh Mai Phai island in Phang Nga province on November 14.

His aunt Jiraporn Kalong, 37, said she was returning from a village meeting at around 1:35 pm when she heard her nephew's loud cries as she approached the home. She ran inside and was horrified to find one of the monkeys sinking its fangs into the baby's soft skull while the others were trying to snatch his milk bottle.

Jiraporn called her relatives who lived nearby for help and rushed to drive away the primates, which she described as fierce and aggressive.

Muallim had around six deep bite marks on his head and a bleeding 'open skull wound'. He was rushed to the Phang Nga Hospital, and was transferred to the Vachira Phuket Hospital for emergency surgery.

Jiraporn said she had been taking care of the baby boy as his parents were away working in Phuket.

She said: 'It's a tragedy that my nephew has met with such misfortune. Now all I can do is pray for his safety.

'The macaque problem is an ongoing problem that is becoming worse. The monkey population is increasing every day and has disturbed the villagers' livelihoods by stealing items and destroying belongings on a regular basis.

'But we can't do anything monkeys because there is a law to protect them. Therefore, I would like to implore the relevant agencies to come and deal with the problem of macaques on the island.'

Phang Nga Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai said he had ordered council staff to help the family.

He said surgery on the infant was successful and he was being kept in a clean room at the hospital without visitors to prevent contamination.

The local government chief said: 'Wildlife officers have been deployed to survey the population of crab-eating macaques and the issues faced by locals.

'The macaques' behaviour has changed and they are no longer afraid of humans, often entering homes, particularly during low tide, as they retreat to the forest and mountains during high tide.'

Many provincial governments in Thailand have been lobbying for the removal of crab-eating macaques from the country's list of protected wildlife. The legal protections have been hampering efforts to curb the pillaging simians' ballooning numbers.

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.