In the town of Lopburi, Thailand, a lavish five-star buffet was prepared on Sunday, not for visiting dignitaries, but for local monkeys. The animals are treated to a feast in a ritual to thank them for bringing good fortune and prosperity to the town.

Monkey Buffet Festival.

Fruits, vegetables, desserts, giant ice blocks and even dishes from country's numerous five-star hotels were sent to an ancient Khmer-Hindu Temple.

Foreign tourists might have found it quite surprising and even alarming when some of the animals jumped upon them.

The monkeys are believed to be the descendants of the Hindu monkey-god "Hanuman."

The feast is funded by donations from local residents, at a cost of around 16-thousand US dollars. A recent massive floods haven't dented people's eagerness to please the gods.