Lopburi Monkey Banquet, Lopburi, Thailand
This unusual ‘dinner party’ has been held annually for about 20 years now so you would have thought that the guests-of-honor would know how to behave. Well unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for the sake of a spectacle) – no-one has yet taught the wild long-tailed macaques monkeys table manners.
The location (the Khmer ruins) is some 70 miles north of Bangkok, and the host of this particular event is a grateful local hotelier. He is grateful for the business that the monkeys bring, and it is held that villagers believe the monkeys protect the village and even bring them good luck. The 600 or so guests are served a sumptuous feast of fruit, vegetables, rice, noodles, coca cola (apparently a favorite treat). Even menus, table-cloths and napkins are provided – I guess more for the photos. I wonder how they know its time to tuck in....or even which day to turn up?
The event now includes a procession, children dress up in monkey costumes (of course) and live music. Well – the festival works because it now draws in some 10,000 visitors – so I guess that’s the best tip the hotelier (and indeed whole village) can receive! Who said you make your own luck……? If you want to go the fun takes place on the last Sunday in November, but I wouldn’t recommend trying to eat the banquet yourself as the monkeys don’t always take too kindly to it.
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