This is the moment a cheeky wild monkey stole an ear of corn from a ramen shop in Thailand.

Footage shows the notorious crab-eating macaque named Chao Jor casually walking into the store's kitchen to grab the corncob before climbing out of reach on power lines in Jomtien Road in Pattaya.

Chao Jor has become infamous in the area for raiding the local stalls and stealing food from tourists. Though he has not attacked anyone, his actions have caused vendors and visitors to feel unsafe.

Acting on the complaints, Kongkiat Temtamnan, director of the Protected Area Office 2, dispatched a team to catch the thieving primate on April 11.

Officers set up a cage with bait inside, but Chao Jor was nowhere to be seen. They instructed the ramen shop employees to contact them immediately when the macaque shows up.

Thepporn Sutthirattanapirak, manager of the Street Ramen store, said: 'The monkey appears regularly and typically steals fruit, food, and beverages from the kitchen in the back.

"It sometimes snatches items from tourists dining in front of the store. Our customers and staff are beginning to feel unsafe. 

'When it spots the staff cooking, it would approach them and bare its fangs. I hope it can be relocated to a more suitable place.'

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.