A troop of wild macaques invaded a Buddhist temple, sparking alarm among residents in northeast Thailand.

Hundreds of southern pig-tailed macaques descended from the mountains and raided the Wat Sub Yang temple in Nakhon Ratchasima province on February 14.

Villagers said the monkeys regularly visited the temple, often causing damage as they ransacked the property for something to eat.

Local village council chairman Jeerasak Siewkhonburi said: 'Currently, there might be more than a thousand southern pig-tailed macaques residing on this mountain.

'We are worried that if no related organisation controls their population, they might cause more trouble for the locals, similar to what is happening in Lopburi.'

Lopburi is a province in central Thailand notorious for being overridden with aggressive macaques that attack residents and tourists alike.

Jeerasak said the temple was located at the foot of the Khao Khok Chang mountain. However, swathes of residential areas and farmland separated it from the nearby Thap Lan National Park wildlife sanctuary, preventing the monkeys from returning easily to their original habitat.

As years forest conservation efforts on the mountain paid off, the macaques eventually settled near the temple with their population skyrocketing.

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.