While the Monkey Buffet Festival is a fun and lively event, it also serves a purpose beyond entertainment. It raises awareness about the need to respect and coexist with wildlife.

Thousands of monkeys in Lopburi in central Thailand feasted on tonnes of fruits and vegetables on Sunday after the town’s Monkey Festival resumed following a two year hiatus caused by the pandemic.

The monkeys are a symbol of the province, about 140 kilometers (90 miles) north of Bangkok, where the ancient Three Pagodas temple celebrates an annual “Monkey Buffet” festival, and they’re ...