Festival in Thailand

Poi Sang Long Festival at Mae Hong Sorn

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Poi Sang Long takes place  between three to seven days in March or April annually. Legend says that the Buddha went to see his mother in the Daowadung heaven in the Buddhist era. When the Buddha returned to the earth four angels followed him. The angels had heard that the human world was going to have an enormous and joyful ceremony for welcoming the mother of the Buddha. So, the four angels dressed beautifully with crowns and tiaras and danced with the people. Because of this legend, Sang Long (boys going to be novice monks) dress the same as the angels with crowns and tiaras .

The ceremony is divided into three days. The first day is “Sang Long Parade”. The crystal boys or Sang Long have to dress beautifully as little angels and go all around the city to pay respects to their relatives and important people of the community. Old people will tie white threads on their wrists to protect from ghosts. The second day is “Welcoming Guests” a parade of worship with incenses and candles, and the four necessities of a Buddhist monk. After the crystal boys eat, the blessing and praying ceremony begins for preparing the ordination for the following day. The last day is “Ordination”. After ordaining the crystal boys will change their clothes from Sang Long to the yellow robes of a Buddhist monk.

“Poi Sang Long” is different to general ordination ceremonies. This version is absolutely beautiful and spectacular. If you have any free time in early April, I would like to invite you to watch the Poi Sang Long festival.

Candle Festival in Ubon Ratchathani

One of the biggest and most beautiful festivals in Thailand is the Candle Procession which marks the start of the Buddhist Lent. In Thai this is called Khao Phansa which is the day after the full moon in July.  Traditionally during this period, Thai Buddhists take part in parades to their local temples where they offer basic essentials and candles to the monks. This year, I attended the Candle Procession in Ubon Ratchathani, which is in the Northeast of Thailand.

For the three months of the Buddhist Lent the monks are not allowed to leave their temples and must spend their time studying the scriptures. This is also the height of the rainy season and so in the past it wasn’t easy for them to travel around anyway. The idea for the large candle is to give light to the monks during this period. Some Thai people believe that by donating candles, they will have wisdom, be resourceful and be bright like the candle.

Phi Ta Khon Festival

One of the most unique and colourful festivals in Thailand is Phi Ta Khon that takes place every year in Dansai in Loei Province. It is sometimes translated into English as the Ghost Festival as many people wear ghost masks during the processions. Really the festival is called Bun Luang which is a combination of two different festivals. These are Bun Phra Wet and Bun Bang Fai. The first is the continuous listening of thirteen sermons. The other involves the firing of rockets to ask for sufficient rain.There are two theories about where the name “Phi Ta Khon” comes from. One is that it evolved from the phrase “Phi Tam Kon” which in English means “Ghost follows a person”. A long time ago, the Dansai villagers believed that ghosts came out of the forest to follow the Lord Buddha. Another theory is that because of the similarity of Dansai’s ghost masks with that of the Khon masks of Central Thailand, that they came to be called “Phi Ta Khon”.

Muay Thai Festival in Ayutthaya

Muay Thai is truly an international sport these days as people all around the world compete in this ancient form of boxing. However, the spiritual home is definitely here in Thailand with the home base being in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya. Yesterday, 350 boxers from 35 different countries came together at Wat Mahathat to take part in the Wai Khru Ceremony. They came to pay respect to their teachers, and to pay homage to the legendary Muay Thai folk hero, Nai Khanom Tom.

Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport and Ayutthaya, the home of its legendary hero is the stronghold of Muay Thai. According to legend, Nai Khanom Tom was captured by the Burmese after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767. Along with other prisoners, he was taken back to Burma. During a Buddhist festival he was selected to fight in a tournament that was put on to see which forms of boxing were the best; Thai or Burmese. Nai Khanom Tom fought ten Burmese boxers in a row without pause and defeated them all.The Wai Khru Muay Thai Ceremony is the most important date on the calendar for Muay Thai boxers from around the world. They come together in the days leading up to National Muay Thai Day, which is on 17th March, to pay respect to their teachers, and to pay homage to the legendary Muay Thai folk hero, Nai Khanom Tom. This takes place during the annual three day Thai Martial Arts Festival in Ayutthaya which is now in its 7th year. The aim is to preserve the Thai martial arts.

The Wai Khru Ceremony took place at Wat Mahathat on Tuesday 15th March 2011. Highlights of the event included Muay Thai exhibitions as well as demonstrations of Thai handicraft and cuisine. Over the following two days, 16th-17th March 2011,  there is a Muay Thai tournament with international boxers contending for the Nai Khanom Tom belt with a cash prize for the weight divisions of 60, 65, 70, and 80 kilograms. There will also be a Wai Kru competition for Thai students. This takes place at the stadium in Ayutthaya.

Songkran at Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall

A good place to enjoy the traditional side of Songkran, and probably learn a bit about its culture and history, is at the Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall on Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue in Bangkok. For this month, until 30th April 2011, they have a free exhibition where you can learn about Songkran in the four regions of Thailand. I certainly learned a lot and you will find the information boards in both Thai and English.

Outside of the Rattanakosin building, there is an old style food market where they are selling a wide range of delicious Thai food. A lot of this food you don’t often see and so it is a great opportunity to come and try them out. The vendors are also dressed up in traditional costume of the era.

Next door at Wat Ratchanaddaram, there is an opportunity to bathe 32 revered Buddha images around the base of the Metal Castle. Thai people believe this brings them good merit by sprinkling rose scented water on the images. This takes place only this week during Songkran.