This is the terrifying moment an aggressive monkey mugged children for a bottle of water.

A mother was strolling with her daughters when they were attacked by the primate at a zoo in Chonburi, Thailand.

Footage shows one of the girls attempting to approach the macaque to offer it water, thinking it might be thirsty.

The woman then warned her child to stay away, fearing the monkey might attack. Just as she was pulling the child away, the animal suddenly lunged at them, seemingly threatening.

After charging at the family, the monkey ran off.

The mother said: 'I feared that they might get bitten by the monkey, which is why I pulled them back.'

No one was reportedly injured in the encounter.

Monkeys, like other animals, attack when they feel threatened. Risks from monkey bites include serious wound infections, the herpes B virus, and rabies.