Buddhists prayed and danced outside a pagoda made entirely from rice straw to mark the start of the Songkran festival in Thailand.

Footage shows the religious structure called ‘Rice Grain Buddha's Relic' towering 95ft-high over the worshippers in Wat Nong Yang temple in Ang Thong province on April 10.

String lights covered the pagoda while the locals performed a traditional dance in front of it.

The temple monk Phra Palad Thanad Thammajaro said the residents with their leader Khuntan Phurawong, 54, helped construct the unique pagoda that measured 26ft-wide.

The monk said: 'The construction was aimed at preserving culture and folk wisdom that the younger generation has overlooked.

'Our goal is for them to develop gratitude towards Phra Mae Phosop, the goddess of rice, and to embrace this cultural practice as a means of fostering unity within the community.

'By involving everyone in the construction process, we hope to instil a sense of love and unity, ensuring that these traditions are upheld and not forgotten.'

Aside from the rice straw pagoda, the temple would feature Buddha statue Luang Pho Kao which dated back to 1757, and has been restored with red shades.

Local official Khuntan said: 'The construction was in relation to organising an event during the Songkran Festival, aiming to foster unity within the community.

'The idea of the pagoda was inspired by a tradition in the Northeastern region, with the goal of bringing together local elders, adults, and children to work on it collectively.

'We plan to decorate the pagoda with lights to make it visually striking for visitors.

'This year's event will be larger than previous years to commemorate the 72nd year of King Rama X's reign, featuring a folk dance performance by elders from the Sawaeng Ha district.'

The Buddhist festival Songkran, which takes place every year from April 13 to April 15, marks the new calendar year in the ancient religion. It originated in India in the 6th century before being taken up by the Hindu-Buddhist Khmer Empire - the predecessor to modern-day Cambodia.