A cheeky macaque stole a soda bottle from shocked tourists in Thailand.

Footage shows the primate walking over to casually pluck the beverage left on the ground by sightseers at a mountain viewpoint in Si Sa Ket province on July 16.

It unscrewed the cap and began lapping at the sugary drink as surprised visitors watched.

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.