A TASTE of the exotic Far East came to Poole at the weekend when thousands of people flocked to the town’s second Thai Festival.

The feast for the senses brought a traditional Thai Rice Harvest atmosphere to Baiter’s Harbourside Park, with authentic food and drink, dancing, Thai boxing, massages, craft and produce stalls – plus a host of entertainment.

The festival, which ran from 10am to 7pm on both days, opened with Buddhist monks chanting a blessing and being offered food. After that the packed programme included a mixture of the ancient and modern, from folk songs and dances to lady boy shows and cookery demonstrations.

See all our pictures from Poole Thai Festival in our gallery here

The winner of Miss Thailand of Great Britain went on parade to the Quay in a tuk-tuk and this year’s winner was crowned on Sunday.

One of the highlights of last year’s inaugural festival was a wedding, but this year it boasted a decidedly unromantic eating competition called I’m British, Get Me Out of Here.

Organiser Joe Tansey explained: “We had deep fried maggots, a smelly fruit called durian, pickled fish and hot chillies.

“Five of them ate everything, so we blended it all up with milk and the winner was the one to down it the fastest.

“One of the contestants threw up.”

The prize was a trophy and a case of beer, which was won by Lukas Brown.

Joe and co-organiser Jackie Winitkun had promised that this year’s festival would be bigger and better.

The first festival attracted 10,000 visitors and raised more than £2,700 money for a Thai temple in Britain and to buy equipment for underprivileged schools in northern Thailand.

The pair later travelled to the area to make the presentation in person.

This year they have chosen to give the proceeds to children born with HIV in Thailand.

Sunday’s rain saw fewer numbers through the gates but there were still around 2,500 adults and 500 children braving the weather.

“People have put on a brave face,” said Joe.

“We are chuffed to bits that people even came today.”