Wild monkeys were treated to a fruit buffet to mark the death of a former prince in Thailand.

Instead of using flowers, officials arranged several assorted fruits on a wreath so that the primates could enjoy feasting on them around the statue of Prince Yugala Dighambara.

Footage shows the excited animals gathering below the fruit stands before climbing up to pluck one of the treats in Songkhla province.

One hundred fruit wreaths were prepared this year to mark the 89th death anniversary of the Thai prince also known as Krom Luang Lopburi Ramet who served as the Viceroy of southern Thailand in the 20th century.

Monkeys from the nearby Tan Kuan Monkey Park arrived as the fruits were being laid such as green and red apples, oranges, mangoes, and bananas.

One of the officials who organised the event said this was not the first time that they arranged fruits instead of flowers but the primates were more eager to feast on the wreaths this year.

He said: ‘They used to wait before we allowed them to eat the wreaths but this year they appeared more excited. The ceremony turned into a messy buffet party.’

Despite being excited about the free food, the monkeys did not hurt anyone on the area and just focused on taking as much fruit as they can.

Songkhla province is known for its population of wild monkeys that roam freely in national parks. Some of them live around Buddhist temples. They were normally well-fed by visiting tourists but since the start of the pandemic, they have been going hungry.