In Lopburi, the famous monkey city in Thailand, people have to fence around the house and there are "forbidden areas" for humans.

Pointing at the overhead grating that covers the rooftop, Kuljira Taechawattanawanna, a local resident, is complaining about the threat of monkeys in the heart of Lopburi city, in the central province of the same name in Thailand.

"We live in a cage and the monkeys live outside," said Taechawattanawanna.

The fearless monkeys almost "dominated" the streets around the temple Prang Sam Yod in central Lopburi.

The naughty tricks of monkeys are widely accepted as a major attraction to tourists.

However, the city government's disinfection campaign led by Covid-19 nearly provoked a dramatic change in monkey behavior.

The rapid increase in monkeys, doubling in three years to about 6,000 in the city, has created an uncomfortable living environment with people and many people cannot bear it.

An abandoned movie theater has become a cemetery and a private property for monkeys.

Nearby, a shop owner had to display stuffed tigers and toy crocodiles to ward off the monkeys because they always rob paint sprayers from the store.

It seems that no one in Lopburi can remember the time when there were no apes, while some people speculated that the gradual expansion of the forest to the nearby forest gave them access to the city.

People have claimed responsibility for feeding the monkeys to prevent conflicts, but some say that sugary diets, carbonated drinks and cereals have boosted their sex lives.

"The more they eat, the stronger they are, so they spawn more," said Pramot Ketampai, who manages the small temples surrounding Prang Sam Yod temple.

The recent monkey wars have caught the attention of Lopburi officials, prompting them to restart the program for sterilizing monkeys this month, after a pause from three years ago.

Wildlife agency officials tried to lure the monkeys with fruit into a cage, took them to the clinic for anesthesia and sterilization, and left a tattoo mark.

The Lopburi government aims to sterilize 500 monkeys on June 26.

But this plan may face criticism from the people.

"They should first do a survey with the people living in the area. This is like dumping garbage in front of their door and need to ask if they support it or not," said Narongporn Daudduem, wildlife worker,

Taweesak Srisaguan, the owner of the store, had to use stuffed animals to stop the monkeys, saying he had to "fight" every day, but he would miss it if the monkeys were moved.

"I forgot to see them wandering around here, playing in the streets," Srisaguan said.