Thai villagers turn to anime character Doraemon for rain-making ritual

The ritual, which traditionally involves a cat, was conducted using a Doraemon soft toy in late April.- SCREENGRAB FROM TSKASASAGI/X

BANGKOK: Amid a prolonged dry spell in Thailand, residents in three villages in Nakhon Sawan province have gathered to revive the traditional ritual of parading a cat to bring rain to the affected villages.

In a twist, the ritual, which traditionally involves a cat, was conducted in late April using a Doraemon soft toy in place of a live animal.