KARUNA SHINSHO, CNN ANCHOR: A few weeks ago, we reported on the problem of too many monkeys living in a big city. It's become a matter of serious concern in India's capital. Today, we look at a similar problem, but on a smaller scale. Kelley Colihan takes us to a rural school in Thailand.</s>KELLEY COLIHAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It doesn't look like monkey heaven, but this school in southern Thailand comes awfully close, especially at lunchtime. They arrive every day in growing numbers, intent on sharing the children's midday meals. And they're not polite about it, snatching food right out of the kids' hands.</s>NUKUL BAIBUA, SCHOOL PRINCIPAL (through translator): They never physically attack the students. They just snatch their snacks and pickpocket. They sometimes wrestle with the children and make their clothes dirty. But they never harm the students.</s>COLIHAN: But they do harm the school. They've done serious damage to the roof. Rubbish bins are overturned, and their contents scattered. Occasionally, some of the children are frightened of the monkeys, but for the most part, the youngsters seem to be amused by the furry visitors, even when they're stealing their food. Still, the community is determined to find a way to keep monkey business out from the school.</s>BAIBUA (through translator): We might relocate them to somewhere like an open zoo or wild life sanctuary.</s>COLIHAN: For now, though, the school children and the monkeys will continue to coexist, but only for part of each school day. When the food is gone, and the children go down for their nap, the monkeys lose interest, and head back to the nearby mangrove forest. Kelley Colihan for INSIDE ASIA.
School in Thailand Visited by Monkeys at Lunchtime