Tens of thousands of devotees watched as monks carried a golden shrine down a set of steps to recreate Buddha walking down from heaven.

Eighty thousand Thai Buddhists gathered at the temple in Udon Thani, northeastern Thailand yesterday (14/10) for the ceremony to mark the last day of the Buddhist Lent period, which lasts for three months from mid July until mid October.

The elaborate display at the Sangkat Rattana Khiri temple involved 500 Buddhist monks walking down the 449 steps from the mountain top. They then received ''four requisites'' of food, clothes, medicine and scriptures, from the devotees who were waiting at the ground.

Followers stage the scene to recreate how Buddha is said to have walked down stairs from heaven to receive donations from his worshippers below.

Provincial governor Narong Rakroi said that the rite was also to pay respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej who passed away three years ago on October 13.

Narong said: "Today we welcome 80,000 tourists to participate in rite that the temple hosted and I believed that our province is the only place in the world that provides the closest simulation of the original story of Buddha.

"Moreover, I want to use this special event to glorify the late King Rama IX and let us hope that the donations today will help him to be blessed in heaven."

The provincial authorities will give the surplus donations to schools in the area.