Festive Thailand

Festivals in Thailand are either Buddhist, Chinese,Festival held during the ninth lunar month each year.
animist, or associated with the monarchy. Buddhist andThe event lasts ten days and other than participants
Chinese festivals are lunar and generally fall on a fullobserving a vegetarian diet, involves ceremonies at
moon, animist festivals such as Songkran or LoiChinese shrines and temples along with firewalking and
Krathong can be solar or lunar, while royal holidays fallother acts of self-mutilations carried out by devotees
on special historical days such as the founding of theknown as Ma Song. These Ma Song are in ecstatic
current Chakri dynasty or the birthdays of the reigningtrances and oblivious to pain as they clamber up
monarchs.ladders with bladed rungs, walk barefoot over hot
The most deeply spiritual of the Thai holidays iscoals, and plunge skewers through their cheeks.
Visakha Bucha held on a full moon night in May. ItThe event Phuket Vegetarian Festival dates back to
commemorates the date on which the Buddha was1825. At that time, many immigrant Chinese worked in
born, attained enlightenment, and died.Phuket's tin mines. A visiting Chinese opera troupe
Visakha Bucha day is marked with sermons andcured their sickness with a vegetarian diet. This much
alms-giving culminating in an evening candlelitimpressed the local population who started the
procession known as wien thien in which celebrantsvegetarian festival.
circle the temple three times in honour of the triple gemThe afternoon before the festival, celebrants raise a
of Buddhism - the Buddha, the Dharma (teachings), andhigh pole (the Go Teng pole) at each temple. This is to
the Sangha (community of monks).invite the gods to descend. Then at midnight, they
Songkran, the most vigorous of Thailand's festivals,adorn the pole with nine lanterns to mark the opening
was the official Thai New Year until 1941. Formerly tiedof the festival.
to the movement of the sun, modern Songkran takesOver the next ten days, ceremonies such as
place from 13-15th April.invocation of the gods Lam Tao and Pak Tao,
Songkran began as a ceremonial bathing of Buddhaprocessions of images of the deities, and the feats of
images as part of a new year's spring cleaning ritual.the Ma Song. The festival ends with merit making
However, it has degenerated over the years into aceremonies at the temples and the send-off of the
free-for-all water fight in which the streets are filledgods.
with revellers armed with water guns, jars andThailand is a land rich in culture and tradition and the
buckets.best and most moving way to experience the delights
Though Songkran is celebrated nationwide, it's probablyof this eastern kingdom is to attend one of the many
done with most gusto in Bangkok’s tourist centrefestivals and ceremonies that adorn the
of Festivals in Thailand are either Buddhist, Chinese,calendar.Khaosan Road and in the northern capital of
animist, or associated with the monarchy. Buddhist andChiangmai.
Chinese festivals are lunar and generally fall on a fullThe southern island of Phuket with its large Chinese
moon, animist festivals such as Songkran or Loipopulation is the scene of the Phuket Vegetarian
Krathong can be solar or lunar, while royal holidays fallFestival held during the ninth lunar month each year.
on special historical days such as the founding of theThe event lasts ten days and other than participants
current Chakri dynasty or the birthdays of the reigningobserving a vegetarian diet, involves ceremonies at
monarchs.Chinese shrines and temples along with firewalking and
The most deeply spiritual of the Thai holidays isother acts of self-mutilations carried out by devotees
Visakha Bucha held on a full moon night in May. Itknown as Ma Song. These Ma Song are in ecstatic
commemorates the date on which the Buddha wastrances and oblivious to pain as they clamber up
born, attained enlightenment, and died.ladders with bladed rungs, walk barefoot over hot
Visakha Bucha day is marked with sermons andcoals, and plunge skewers through their cheeks.
alms-giving culminating in an evening candlelitThe event Phuket Vegetarian Festival dates back to
procession known as wien thien in which celebrants1825. At that time, many immigrant Chinese worked in
circle the temple three times in honour of the triple gemPhuket's tin mines. A visiting Chinese opera troupe
of Buddhism - the Buddha, the Dharma (teachings), andcured their sickness with a vegetarian diet. This much
the Sangha (community of monks).impressed the local population who started the
Songkran, the most vigorous of Thailand's festivals,vegetarian festival.
was the official Thai New Year until 1941. Formerly tiedThe afternoon before the festival, celebrants raise a
to the movement of the sun, modern Songkran takeshigh pole (the Go Teng pole) at each temple. This is to
place from 13-15th April.invite the gods to descend. Then at midnight, they
Songkran began as a ceremonial bathing of Buddhaadorn the pole with nine lanterns to mark the opening
images as part of a new year's spring cleaning ritual.of the festival.
However, it has degenerated over the years into aOver the next ten days, ceremonies such as
free-for-all water fight in which the streets are filledinvocation of the gods Lam Tao and Pak Tao,
with revellers armed with water guns, jars andprocessions of images of the deities, and the feats of
buckets.the Ma Song. The festival ends with merit making
Though Songkran is celebrated nationwide, it's probablyceremonies at the temples and the send-off of the
done with most gusto in Bangkok’s tourist centregods.
of Khaosan Road and in the northern capital ofThailand is a land rich in culture and tradition and the
Chiangmai.best and most moving way to experience the delights
The southern island of Phuket with its large Chineseof this eastern kingdom is to attend one of the many
population is the scene of the Phuket Vegetarianfestivals and ceremonies that adorn the calendar.