The man sat at the edge of the pond, his legs dipped in water, surrounded by turtles.

They waited patiently, as he peeled off bananas, and using a thin strip of bamboo, pieced the fruit and fed them, one by one.

Those that tried to crowd him were gently pushed away with his legs. The turtles knew him, they were comfortable around him.

Said to be the spouse of a staff member working in the Palace, the man said he fed the turtles three times a day on his own money. Many of the curious onlookers who spoke to him joined him, and some of them contributed too.

Asked for how many years he had been doing it, the man replied, “for a long time.”

Bang Pa-In Palace, about 60 km from Bangkok, is closer to Ayuthhaya. With nearly a 400-year history, beautiful palaces, gardens, temples and museums, it draws many visitors, domestic and international.

The turtle man adds to the attractions of the Palace.