Dozens of unruly wild monkeys were caught and sterilised as authorities battled to curb the monkey population in a notorious Thai town.

Footage shows veterinarians neutering the notorious animals that were running rampant in Lopburi province, Thailand, on May 24.

Wildlife officials have installed cages with fruits as bait on the streets, hoping to lure the hungry animals inside before relocating them.

Authorities said that 73 macaques have been caught as of May 24. The operation is scheduled to run until the end of the month.

Lopburi has become a popular tourist destination because of its large population of monkeys. The monkeys are mostly long-tailed macaques, and they can be found all over the city, from the temples to the streets.

However, they can also be aggressive, and they have been known to steal food and belongings. They were even seen on CCTV last month attacking a motorcycle rider to steal his lunch.