Nov. 12, 1998 >> 
 
 

                           A THOUSAND hungry monkeys have gone on the rampage through houses,  shops and restaurants in northern Thailand after the recession-hit district council ran out of funds for their customary food handouts.

                           Villagers have been woken at night by whole families of monkeys turning over their kitchens, while diners have seen their food stolen from their plates.

                           Following a drought, there has been no extra rice for the macaque monkeys, which had grown dependent on regular supplies from villagers. The Rasi Salai council told a delegation of the monkeys' victims that it could not afford to buy extra rice from outside. 

By Alex Spillius, Bangkok