A desperate prayer for rain

The ritual, which traditionally involves a cat, was conducted using a Doraemon soft toy in late April.

As millions across South-East Asia suffer a blistering heatwave that is melting railway tracks, a Thai village resorted to an unusual method to seek rain: parading a Japanese cartoon cat.

Thailand has sweltered in recent weeks as the temperature climbs across the region, with experts saying climate change is making heatwaves more frequent, longer and more intense.