Gang of monkeys raid pickup truck for oranges in macaque-infested town

A gang of monkeys raided a pickup truck for oranges in a notorious macaque-infested town in Thailand.Footage shows the marauding troop swarming the back of a white pickup truck to steal fruits from its cargo bed in front of the Phra Prang Sam Yot temple in Lopburi province on April 23.The monkeys converged on the vehicle while it was waiting at a level crossing. The truck driver honked the car horn trying to drive the monkeys away, but stayed inside as they were known to attack humans for food. He sped away when the traffic light turned green.Monks passing through the area have also begun carrying toy guns to deter the aggressive monkeys from pouncing on them. On March 23, a macaque caused a head-on collision along Ratchadamnoen Road when it hopped onto a motorcycle to grab a plastic bag of food.Furious vendors and locals this week hung vinyl banners slamming the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) for allegedly failing to address the town's longstanding problem.They claimed that local authorities were slow to enact wildlife policy amendments that would allow them to deal with the monkeys - a protected species in Thailand - in urban areas. The planned relocation of the macaques has also been postponed to May due to the lack of enclosures to contain them.Addressing the criticisms, DNP director-general Atthaphon Charoenchansa had said: 'There was a rehearsal and adjustment of the plan to capture the monkeys by using cages to lure many monkeys in at a time, unlike the previous round that used tranquilizer darts focused on capturing the troop leader. Therefore, I want Lopburi residents to understand that we are not behind on our tasks.'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.