"Santa Claus" has delivered treats to animals at a zoo in southern Thailand on Christmas Eve.

Songkhla Zoo Director Chalermwut Kasetsomboon donned the red costume while feeding fruit and vegetables to hippos, baby lions, tigers and ring-tailed lemurs.

Schoolchildren watched the festive feeding session - with Santa telling the children he did not have candy for them, only food for the animals.

Chalermwut said: "We provide food for visitors who want to feed the animals. We would like to welcome everyone with adorable cubs.''

He added that Songkhla Zoo is pleased to have new animal members from Khon Kean zoo this coming new year.

The zoo boss said: "People will appreciate our new cute residents s such as Capybara rats, lion cubs, albino barking deers and nilgai babies.''