Thousands of students baked under the harsh sun for hours as Thailand's Surin province made a Guinness bid for most number of fabric animal dolls folded simultaneously.

The doll-making activity took place during the Elephant Festival at the Sri Narong Stadium on November 20, amid temperatures reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius.

Sitting on mats laid out on an open field, the pupils folded pieces of cloth to create a total of 9,010 elephant dolls out of Surin fabric in one sitting, local media reported.

However, the participants were exposed to the sweltering afternoon sun after they were told to fold their umbrellas 'so that the event would look beautiful when it was recorded.'

Several children passed out from the heat and were tended to by nurses.

Some students said they had volunteered to join the event, but other sources, including parents, claimed they were forced to come.

Despite the criticism, Surin governor Pichit Boontun said the activity would benefit the province, which is known for its elephants and weaving technique.

He told local reporters: 'Nothing is easy to achieve. We have to fight for it.'