Feasts and frolics: Thai monkey festival returns

Hundreds of macaques, also known as long-tailed monkeys, climbed on people and stacks of fruit, munching away on bananas and pineapples.

"It's the first time in two years that monkeys get to eat various kinds of fruits and vegetables and I'm happy for them," said 24-year-old local, Thanida Phudjeeb, who came with family.

The feast, which costs over 100,000 baht ($3,000), is an annual tradition for locals to thank the monkeys for doing their part in drawing in tourists to Lopburi, which is sometimes known as "Monkey Province."

The theme for this year's festival was "Wheelchair Monkeys' Party". Organiser Yongyuth Kitwatananusont planned to donate 100 wheelchairs to the needy.