No more monkey business

Business was also improving. "If there were monkeys, no customers would dare to come by and park their cars here," he said.

For others, Lopburi and its monkeys are inseparable. "Monkeys are part of Lopburi's identity," said Supaporn Reanprayoorn, 38, who runs a store near a temple where monkeys often gathered. She sometimes gave them snacks.

"Let tourists take pictures with them — just a hundred or two."

AGENCIES VIA XINHUA