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July 2, 2026 at 12:28 am
Monkey mayhem is back in Lopburi as escaped macaques storm a police station, damage homes and reignite Thailand’s extraordinary five-year battle to tame the former royal capital’s notorious monkey population, despite last year’s mass capture crackdown.
More than 130 escaped monkeys have been recaptured after a dramatic breakout from a municipal shelter sent marauding troops into homes, businesses and a police station in Thailand’s “Monkey City”. The escape has reignited Lopburi’s extraordinary five-year battle with its macaques, just two years after a landmark campaign subdued thousands that had overrun the historic city following the COVID-19 tourism collapse. With emergency repairs under way and wildlife officers still hunting remaining escapees, the latest breakout shows the fight to control Lopburi’s notorious monkey population is far from over.
More than 130 escaped monkeys have been recaptured after a dramatic breakout from a municipal animal shelter sent marauding troops into homes, businesses and a police station in Lopburi.
More than 130 escaped Lopburi monkeys have been recaptured after raiding homes and a police station, reviving the city’s five-year battle to contain its notorious macaques. (Source: Thai Rath)
The escape has reignited a five-year battle between authorities and the city’s notorious macaque population. It also revived memories of the sweeping 2024 campaign that removed thousands of monkeys after they overwhelmed parts of the historic city, a former capital, following the COVID-19 tourism collapse. Although order gradually returned, this week’s escape showed the conflict is far from over.
The latest incident unfolded on July 1 at the Lopburi Municipal Animal Shelter in Pho Kao Ton Subdistrict in Mueang Lopburi District. Officials said a large troop escaped from a newly built enclosure before spreading rapidly through nearby neighbourhoods.
Monkey troop breaks free from municipal shelter before raiding homes and a police station across Lopburi
Around 15 houses and surrounding property suffered damage as the monkeys searched for food. Moreover, several animals entered Tha Hin Police Station, climbing across desks, windows and office equipment before disappearing into nearby streets.
Authorities quickly traced the escape to Cage A, one of the shelter’s newer enclosures. According to officials, the monkeys repeatedly shook part of the roof structure until a gap appeared.
They then squeezed through the opening before dispersing across nearby communities. Consequently, provincial officials launched a large-scale operation to recover the animals before they travelled further into residential areas.
Acting Sub-Lieutenant Songpol Paenkaew, Deputy Governor of Lopburi Province, coordinated the response. He worked alongside officers from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Lopburi Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment, the Conservation Area Administration Office 1, Saraburi Branch, and the Khao Somphot Wildlife Sanctuary. Together, they deployed teams across a one-kilometre radius surrounding the municipal shelter. Their objective was to contain the escape before the monkeys scattered across the city.
Initially, officers attempted to surround and capture the monkeys in open areas. However, the animals quickly avoided search teams and repeatedly slipped away. Wildlife officers found direct pursuit both difficult and inefficient. As a result, commanders abandoned the original plan and adopted a strategy based on the monkeys’ natural feeding behaviour.
Instead of chasing the animals, officers established observation points around nearby communities. They expected hungry monkeys to descend from rooftops and trees while searching for food. Once the animals approached, capture teams moved into position. The revised strategy reduced unnecessary movement and improved the chances of a safe recovery.
Tranquiliser guns became the principal tool during the operation. In parallel, officers positioned specially prepared cage traps at strategic locations throughout affected neighbourhoods.
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Lopburi monkeys escape and counterattack in the war between humans and primates for the ancient capital - Thai Examiner
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