Thousands of people from around Thailand have converged on a temple in the northeastern province of Surin since Thursday night, asking a large "sacred" rock for good fortune ahead of the national lottery draw on Friday afternoon.
Amnuat Klanarong, a village headman in tambon Ram, said a villager found the sleeping-elephant-shaped rock in the middle of a pond near his house about a month ago.
The villager placed the rock outside his house, and later gave it to Wat Ban Barom Suk after seeing it shining at night and mysterious monks emerging nearby.
Mr Amnuat said local people came to the temple to receive blessings from the "holy" rock and many of them had their wishes fulfilled. A deaf person and a paralysed person came to pray and their ailments had been completely cured, he said.
'This is a personal belief and we cannot disrespect it," the village headman said.
Meanwhile, many people prayed to the rock on Friday and rubbed baby powder on its surface in the hope that it would reveal winning lottery numbers.
(Photo by Nopparat Kingkaew)