Police have started carrying slingshots to defend themselves against crazed monkeys in Thailand.

Officers said they have come under attack from aggressive macaques in Lopburi, a town that has become notorious for its out-of-control monkey population.

Policemen at the Tha Hin Police Station have now issued wooden catapults that officers can use to fire at the unruly primates, which often climb over cars and steal food from shops.

The move comes as Police Major General Apirak Wechkanchana, commander of Lopburi Provincial Police, ordered Police Colonel Karntapon Wanna, superintendent of Tha Hin Police Station, to establish a special unit to combat aggressive wild monkeys.

General Apirak said: 'I am aware of the potential danger from monkeys. They have started to pose a threat to tourists and locals. The
slingshots now being carried by our officers will help to threaten the monkeys when necessary.

'In most cases they only need to use the slingshots as a deterrent, they don't have to use objects to strike the monkeys.'

The police chief said officers were equipped with slingshots that the officers could use to scare the monkeys. He said they are only allowed to use rocks to fire at the creatures when there are no other ways to control them.

They have also been tasked with preventing the monkeys from stealing or vandalising items.

Staff at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation have also started catching some of the worst monkey offenders and relocating them to temporary shelters.

However, they reportedly had difficulties as the simian 'thugs' were familiar with tranquiliser guns and would scale tall buildings and houses whenever they came near.

Nathi Krutthaka, Conservation Bureau Officer No. 1, said: 'We had to hide our faces and conceal the tranquiliser guns so the monkeys wouldn't see them.'

The team managed to capture the troop's leader 'Ai Krao' who was infamous among the local vendors and drivers due to its aggressiveness. Officers put it to sleep with a sedative dart to its bottom before hauling it inside a cage.

Authorities said seven monkeys had been captured, apart from the nine others caught a day earlier.

Lopburi, some 110 miles north of the capital Bangkok, has become known in recent years for its out-of-control population monkey population, leading some to like it to an apocalyptic hellscape - with monkeys even commandeering empty buildings.

They were seen engaging in a massive gang fight in the depths of the pandemic when there was a shortage of food. Attacks on cars, homes, market stalls and visitors have become increasingly frequent.

Despite the dangers, locals are keen to keep the monkeys in the town as they prove a popular draw for tourists from around the world who feed them sugary treats.

The Thai government is struggling to control its macaque problem but has taken steps to manage the monkey population across 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.