PRACHIN BURI: About 30,000 cancer patients and relatives of terminally-ill cancer patients queued up on the Prachin Buri-Ban Sang road in front of the house of Sangchai Haelerttrakul, better known as Mor Sang, in Muang district of this eastern province.
They waited from Saturday afternoon throughout the night to receive free herbal medicines claimed to have cancer-curing qualities.
The free medicines are distributed on the first Saturday and Sunday of every month.
The queue stretched more than 2 kilometres along the road running past Mr Sangchai's house, opposite the office of the Bang Decha tambon administration organisation.
All recipients are required to register with Mor Sang's volunteer workers, showing their ID cards, domicile registration papers and a doctor's diagnosis, in order to get the herbal medicines.
The long monthly queues have spurred the local economy, with small shops selling food and drinks and an increased number of motorcycle taxis. All resorts in Ban Sang and Muang districts are fully booked, although free accommodation is available at more than 10 temples in the area.
Many of those queuing for medicine also visited Wat Phikulwanaram to pay respects to the shrine of Chao Mae Takhian, hoping for good numbers for today's lottery draw.
Capsules claimed to have cancer-curing qualities made by Sangchai Haelerttrakul.