An Austrian man joined the Buddhist monkhood to honour Thailand's late Queen Mother.

Nikola had his head and eyebrows shaved as he joined 20 other men in a mass ordination in Kalasin, northeast Thailand, on October 31.

Footage shows locals tying threads to the newly ordained monks, who were later paraded on the streets in a well-wishing procession. Relatives also showered them with coins as offerings.

The ceremony was held to pay tribute to beloved former Queen Sirikit, whose death was announced on October 24.

The Austrian man said he had visited the Wat Suan Khok temple six months ago with his partner and became a disciple of the abbot Phra Ajarn Suchip.

He said: ‘My name is Nikola and I'm ordaining as a monk here in Thailand. I'm from Austria in Europe.

'I've been here for one week now and I will stay seven days in the temple and after that I will stay seven days in Thailand.

'In March, I visited Thailand for the second time and Phra Ajarn said to me, if I want to come to be a monk for one week, I can do. So I said to myself, good I want to make it happen, and so I'm here.

'I did a bit of research myself but everything else I will learn here at the temple.

'I will be here for seven days.'

The death of Queen Sirikit was announced on October 25, triggering a one-year mourning period, with Thais ordered to wear black until the end of January.