News / News Bulletin

Lopburi lays on annual monkey banquet

Sunday, 27 November 2016 11:03 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 27 November 2016 11:05 PM ]

Monkeys eat fruit near an ancient temple during the annual "monkey buffet" in Lopburi province, north of Bangkok on November 27, 2016. It is a feast fit for a monkey king. (AFP)

A Thai town has held an annual feast to thank its local monkeys for luring in tourists to the region.

Thailand’s central town of Lopburi located in the province of the same name, celebrated its local macaque population in yet another edition of the monkey buffet festival.

The 27-year-old festival which is inspired by both myth and tourism, includes setting tables with tons of fruit and vegetables for the monkeys to munch on.

While the setup is usually accompanied by music, dancing, monkey costumes and even monkey sculpture, this year’s event was toned down as Thailand still mourns the death of the country’s king who died in October.

In keeping with the one-year-grief, the festival was limited to a parade followed by delivering three truckloads of ornate fruit to the simians around the town.