Animal rights groups have slammed the Bangkok market where thousands of exotic pets were burned alive in a fire in the early hours of the morning.

Flames ripped through the parrot and fish zone of the Chatuchak Weekend Market in Thailand, where tropical pets are housed in hundreds of stalls. Officials said the fire started shortly before 4:30 am local time. Snakes, lizards, turtles, ducks and mice were also incinerated.

An estimated 118 stalls were destroyed or damaged in the inferno at the iconic tourist spot, which receives more than 250,000 visitors each week. It has an average of 4.5 stars from some 18,000 reviews on TripAdvisor.

PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker called on the market to be closed down.

He said: 'For over a decade, PETA has been calling for the closure of the notorious Chatuchak market, where countless exploited animals suffer.

'Today's tragedy, in which around a thousand animals perished in a devastating fire, underscores the urgent need for action. Animals are not ours to use for our entertainment.

'Cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC have banned pet stores. PETA urges the Thai government to ensure that this facility, where captive animals suffer, never reopens.'

Police Lieutenant Colonel Nattapong Piyanamwanich of Bang Sue Police Station said officers received a report of the fire at Chatuchak Market at 4.30 AM.

He went to the scene with 12 fire trucks and a rescue team. They extinguished the fire in around an hour.

The policeman said: 'The Chatuchak District Office has set up a table for shop owners to register in order to assess the damage to each shop. Meanwhile, the forensic police will inspect the scene to investigate the cause of the fire.'

Shop worker Meecha, 36, said she was sleeping on the upper floor of her stall to keep watch over the rare birds when she heard noises from the animals and saw smoke filling the shop.

She said she climbed out of the window and jumped down from the upper floor, leaving behind several rare birds, including a cockatoo worth 30,000 baht (640 GBP).

Another stall holder Sakda, 54, told local media that his shop, located opposite the scene, housed imported exotic animals worth thousands of pounds. His business was not touched by the fire.

The owner said he believed that the fire might have occurred due to a short circuit from turning on fans for animals from the shop at the corner, which currently sold small animals such as poodles, Shih Tzus, and Pomeranians, and had no employees present.