Monkey Police patrolling Southern Thailand roads
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An officer's adopted monkey has been recruited by Thai police to improve relations with the community in the southern Thai province of Yala.
Santisuk's job involves making friends with locals at a checkpoint in Saiburi district and helping residents collect coconuts.
Santisuk ("peace" in Thai), is a five-year-old pig-tailed macaque, who was adopted by Police Corporal Yutthapol Phromdao Yutthapol, after he was found with a broken arm.
The policemen trained Santisuk to pick coconuts for the reward of a bottle of milk. He also takes Santisuk, dressed in a police shirt, with him on patrol every day on the top of his car.
He said his checkpoint became a "happy place," as drivers often slow down willingly to play with the monkey or have their photo taken with it.
Learning how Santisuk helped improve the force's image in the provice, other police precincts are considering introducing their own monkey officers too.
