Lopburi is a historic city located about 150 kilometers north of Bangkok Thailand. The city is currently inhabited by humans and long-tailed macaque monkeys. They all share the exact same public spaces every single day.
This unusual phenomenon has earned Lopburi the famous nickname of "Monkey City".
The monkeys here do not live inside zoo cages or isolated wild forests. Instead, they roam completely free in the middle of urban infrastructure.
They can be easily spotted hanging from electrical cables in the city center. They also hang out on shop roofs and walk alongside pedestrians on the sidewalks.
A Cultural Tradition
In most countries an invasion of wild animals into a city would be handled immediately by authorities. The animals would be caught or chased back into the forest for public comfort. However the exact opposite happens in Lopburi.
The Lopburi monkeys hold a special social status among the locals. It is deeply rooted in the local traditions.
The locals view the monkeys as direct descendants of Hanuman the sacred monkey god. The historic center of this monkey colony is the ancient 13th-century temple of Phra Prang Sam Yod.
The presence of these primates is believed to bring fertility and cosmic luck to the region. Therefore harming or chasing them away harshly is strictly taboo.
The Daily Life in Lopburi
Daily life in downtown Lopburi brings a highly unique visual experience. Modern urban activities run side by side with the chaotic antics of thousands of primates.
The monkeys have zero fear of humans. They casually use pedestrian crossings, block the road, and sit on a motorcyle seat.
The real atmosphere on the streets shows a very casual interaction between humans and animals. Dozens of monkeys sit quietly on concrete road dividers and sidewalks while cars and motorcycles pass by just inches away.
The overhead utility cables and power poles are completely packed with monkeys crawling across them like their own private highway system.
They also scale concrete walls, water pipes, and tin roofs of local shops to watch the traffic from above. Local residents walk past them without any panic because everyone is already used to this shared environment.
However, shop owners still close their doors tight to protect their stores from being plundered. For the pedestrians side, they must maintain a safe interaction to avoid being injured by the monkey.
In fact, there are local security officers near the Lopburi downton. They help regulating the area so the monkeys will not cause trouble.
A Special Festival for the Monkeys
Despite the daily hassle, the people of Lopburi regularly reward the monkeys with an annual celebration. Every last Sunday of November the city hosts the famous Monkey Buffet Festival.
The celebration event serves as both a cultural appreciation and a highly successful tourism strategy. A local hotel businessman named Yongyuth Kitwattananusont first started this festival in 1989.
The locals set up tables of food in the courtyard of Phra Prang Sam Yod temple. Many volunteers spend hours washing and cutting the food beforehand. They serve tons of fresh fruits like watermelons and corn along with vegetables and traditional snacks.
Thousands of monkeys climb down from the roofs to eat. The locals willingly do this because this unique monkey attraction draws millions of foreign tourists every year and drives the city's economy.
