Animals across Thailand were being helped to cool off as temperatures soared to 42C this week with the arrival of summer.


Footage from a zoo in Khon Kaen province shows how staff served ice lollies to its animals to help them relax.

Bears tucked into ice in frozen bamboo shoots while tigers gorged on lumps of frozen blood. Lemurs had frozen pink ice lollies while otters ate fish encased in lumps of ice.

Many animals in the country were being helped to cool off as temperatures in some places reached 42C yesterday and today (May 8).

At a Buddhist temple in Chainat province, wild monkeys splashed around and in a pool of water, drenching their fur to provide relief from the heat.

Most of the monkeys soaked in the pool while some of them basked in the shade next to the building.

The Meteorological Department said the hot weather would continue until at least next Wednesday, with summer storms also forecast due to high pressure from China expanding southward and meeting hot air rising over Thailand.

Forecasters said that Nong Khai was the hottest province on Thursday, reaching 42.5C, followed by Nakhon Sawan at 42.2C and Tak at 42C.

Khon Kaen Zoo manager Thanachon Kensingha said handlers were working hard to prevent the animal from becoming irritated during the hot weather.

He said: "The province has been experiencing hot weather 40 degrees celsius for several days and that might cause stress and irritation among the animals.

"We decided to ease their body temperatures by feeding them with frozen meals for all of them but customise the treat for each species.''

Animals across Thailand were being helped to cool off as temperatures soared to 42C this week with the arrival of summer.


Footage from a zoo in Khon Kaen province shows how staff served ice lollies to its animals to help them relax.

Bears tucked into ice in frozen bamboo shoots while tigers gorged on lumps of frozen blood. Lemurs had frozen pink ice lollies while otters ate fish encased in lumps of ice.

Many animals in the country were being helped to cool off as temperatures in some places reached 42C yesterday and today (May 8).

At a Buddhist temple in Chainat province, wild monkeys splashed around and in a pool of water, drenching their fur to provide relief from the heat.

Most of the monkeys soaked in the pool while some of them basked in the shade next to the building.

The Meteorological Department said the hot weather would continue until at least next Wednesday, with summer storms also forecast due to high pressure from China expanding southward and meeting hot air rising over Thailand.

Forecasters said that Nong Khai was the hottest province on Thursday, reaching 42.5C, followed by Nakhon Sawan at 42.2C and Tak at 42C.

Khon Kaen Zoo manager Thanachon Kensingha said handlers were working hard to prevent the animal from becoming irritated during the hot weather.

He said: "The province has been experiencing hot weather 40 degrees celsius for several days and that might cause stress and irritation among the animals.

"We decided to ease their body temperatures by feeding them with frozen meals for all of them but customise the treat for each species.''