Poi Sang long

POI SANG LONG
The Poi Sang Long ceremony in Mae Hong Son is a Buddhist novice ordination ceremony, but it is unlike any other ceremony of its type in the country. Young boys aged between 7 and 14 are ordained as novices so they can spend time studying Buddhist doctrines. It is believed that by pursuing ordination for their parents, they gain merit.
The origins of this festival lie in Buddhist legend. It is believed that the tradition follows in the footsteps of Prince Rahula, the Buddha's own son, who gave up his worldly life to follow his father's spiritual teachings. Prince Rahula became the youngest ordained monk and the first novice in Buddhism. Subsequently it became a tradition for young boys to be ordained so they can undertake the study of Buddhist teachings. With deep reverence for the Buddhist religion, the local residents in Mae Hong Son province are of the view that the celebrations should be as grand as possible.
The Poi Sang Long ceremony is unique to Mae Hong Son province. A colourful spectacle to witness, it is perhaps one of the most delightful festivals in Mae Hong Son, attracting people from far and wide.
4 April (Wednesday)
“Rup Sang Long" day, the first day of the ceremony
The first day of the ceremony day begins with the boys having their hair shaved off by parents and relatives. They are then bathed and anointed with consecrated waters and dressed in brightly coloured costumes. By the end of this process, the boys are now known as Sang Long or Luuk Kaew — precious gems.
A colourful procession makes it way through the streets of Mae Hong Son Municipality. In the earlier part of the day, the procession makes stops at the city pillar and various temples en route so the 'Sang Long’ can seek forgiveness from the abbot. By late afternoon, the boys are carried back home.
5 April (Thursday)
“Kham Kaek" day, the second day
On the second day, relatives, friends and guests stop by the house of the Sang Long host family in order to congratulate the family and present alms.
6 April (Friday)
“Hae Krua Lu" day, the third day
On the third day, “Hae Krua Lu" day, the grand colourful procession is held in the morning. Well-attended by family members and individuals of importance in Mae Hong Son’s Shan community, the procession of the Sang Long features handmade floats, offerings for the temple, traditional dances. The procession starts out from Chong Kham and Chong Klang Temple in the heart of the city before it moves along the main streets of town and out to the temples.
7 April (Saturday)
“Kham Sang" day, the fourth day
The procession once again proceeds through the town and the Sang Long are escorted to Chong Kham and Chong Klang Temple for the formal ordination ceremony.
In addition to the Poi Sang Long ceremony at Chong Kham and Chong Klang Temple in Mae Hong Son Municipality, Poi Sang Long ceremonies can also be observed in the following locations.
This year, as apart from the Poi Sang Long ceremony at Pang Lor Temple in Mae Hong Son Municipal, visitors are being presented with the opportunity to participate in the Poi Sang Long ceremony and enjoy the charm of Mae Hong Son city at the following venues.

6 – 10 April	At Nai Soi Temple, Muang district For more information, please contact Pang Moo Sub-district Organization Administration at Tel: 053-613341
1 – 3 April	At Sri Boon Rueng temple, Mae Sarieng district from 1 – 3 April 2011. For more information contact Sri Boon Rueng Temple at Tel: 053-621328, 081-8853312
26 – 28 March	At Muai Tor temple, Khun Yuam district For more information, please contact Muai Tor Temple at Tel: 053-691081
1-3 March	At Sri Donchai temple, Pai district For more information, please contact Wiang Nua Sub-district Organization Administration at Tel: 053-699543

For further information, please contact at 053-612982 or
Web site: www.travelmaehongson.org

Contact information:

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mae Hong Son Office
Tel: +66 (0) 5361 2982-3
Fax: +66 (0) 5361 2984
E-mail: tatmhs@tat.or.th

http://www.tatnews.org

Candle Festival

The Significance of Crafted Candles as Buddhist Lent Merit-Making Offerings
The Candle Festival of Ubon Ratchathani province features a procession of ornately-carved traditional beeswax candles of various shapes and sizes. Buddhism, Buddhist traditions and beliefs are central forces that shape the local way of life and the customs and traditions related to this Buddhist festival have been carefully preserved by local communities.
As the seasonal monsoon rains descend over the kingdom, it marks the beginning of the Buddhist "rain retreat" and the Buddhist Lent, or Phansa, during which all Buddhist monks retreat to the temples. This is also an auspicious time for Buddhist ordinations as it marks a period of spiritual renewal.
Known as "Khao Phansa", the Buddhist Lent is a time devoted to study and meditation. Buddhist monks remain within the temple grounds and do not venture out for a period of three months starting from the first day of the waning moon of the eighth lunar month (in July) to the fifteenth day of the waxing moon of the eleventh lunar month (in October). In former times, this is done to prevent monks from trampling upon rice paddies when they venture out to receive offerings from the villagers.
As the province prepares for the Buddhist Lent, men folk, ordained as well as laymen, with artistic skills set about the task of moulding and sculpting Lenten candles. As these works of art are to be presented as Buddhist merit-making offerings, the artisans pour their heart and soul into their craft. Many of these are fine examples of Buddhist art and sculpture.
Villagers actively engage in merit-making during the Buddhist Lent, making visits to temples to make offerings of food and items for daily use. The presentation of items that provide light, such as candles, lanterns and lamp oil, is deemed to be particularly important as these facilitate the study of holy scriptures and meditation by providing illumination to the monks, physically and spiritually.
Bringing together the Traditional and the Contemporary
To help keep ancient customs and traditions alive, the provincial authorities have added more contemporary elements to the traditional festival in an attempt to create broader appeal and attract younger visitors.
In addition to the exhibition of wax sculptures by the participating international artists from Japan, Nepal, Belgium, France, Ukraine, Latvia, Spain, Brazil, and host country, Thailand, the festival programme now includes other art and design-related highlights such as the Silpakorn Art Pool featuring handcrafted candles workshops and sound art, the Lat Krabang Art Scene featuring film and photo, interactive art, art camp, and Kids Art Village.
Other attractions, such as the Ubon Art Street, the Ubon Weekend Market and Laeng Pla Ploen Market, traditional and contemporary folk music performances, are all designed to add to the festive ambience of the event.

6th THAILAND INTERNATIONAL WAX SCULPTURE
TIMELINE
Please click to expand
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

	VISITS TO CANDLE-CRAFTING COMMUNITIES OF UBON RATCHATHANI There are seven specially selected candle-making temple communities noted for their hand-crafted traditional beeswax candles. These are Wat Thung Sri Muang community, Wat Bupharam community, Wat Sri Pra Ku community, Wat That Nong Bua community, Wat Nong Pla Paak community, and Prathum Vittayakarn School (Nong Katok). Visits to each will provide interesting insights into an ancient artistic tradition and local culture. Watch the local artisans meticulously at work in a natural setting. Candles featured in the Buddhist lental candle procession generally consist of crafted candles, moulded candles and ancient candles. The candle-crafting tool set consists of knives, chisels, metal hooks of various shapes and sizes and paint brushes. The process of moulding candles is similar to the crafting process except the candle-maker initially casts smaller-sized candles which he or she then moulds together into a larger beeswax candle structure. While superior quality beeswax is used to mould candles; only the very finest quality beeswax is used for crafting ornamental candles.
	INTERNATIONAL WAX SCULPTURE CONTEST Candle artisans representing nine countries from around the world – namely Japan, Nepal, Belgium, France, Ukraine, Latvia, Spain, Brazil, and host country, Thailand – will be taking part in the 2011 International Wax Sculpture Contest. Participating Artists Mr Ikeda Shigeru from Japan presents ‘Heart’ Mr Om Khattri from Nepal presents ‘Infinity’ Mr Jonathan Mencarelli from France presents ‘Sunrise Energy’ Mr Ojārs Arvīds Feldbergs from Latvia presents ‘Vertical Knot’ Mr Thierry Lauwers from Belgium presents ‘Sustain my heart… Sustain my world’ Ms Lyudmyla Mysko from the Ukraine presents ‘Song of my heart’ Mr Jorge Luiz Schröder from Brazil presents ‘Wrapper’ Mr Phuttipong Wongwanna presents ‘Light of Dhamma’
	CANDLE EXHIBITION An exhibition of Lenten Candles at Thung Sri Muang Park featuring crafted candles, moulded candles and ancient candles.
	CANDLE CRAFTING Crafted candles, moulded candles and ancient candles The beeswax candles of Ubon Ratchathani province generally fall into one of four types – candles on a square structure or Mondop, a beeswax castle or Prasat pueng, candles that form a cone-shaped structure called Poom and candles that are tied together, Mat Ruam. Types of beeswax candles: Mandapa-shaped Candles (Mondop) A mondop or mandapa is a structural form with a square base and a spired or pyramidal roof. Mondop candles are used as a receptacle to hold sacred offerings which are brought to temples during the ‘kathin’ season when monk robes are presented as offerings. Mandapa-shaped candles are used only for worship; they are not lit. Beeswax Candle Castle (Prasat Pueng) The beeswax candle castle is one of the elements of Buddhist merit-making rituals. These are also used in ancestor worship rituals to dedicate merit to ancestors. The beeswax ‘castle’ is also sometimes featured in propitiation rituals. However the use of the trunk of a banana tree, parts of which are folded into triangular-shapes, is preferred. Taro, turnip or sweet potato are sometimes carved into the floral shapes and dipped into heated beeswax, left to dry and used to decorate the banana tree. Cone-Shaped (Poom) Smaller candles are bonded together to form a cone-shaped structure. They serve a decorative purpose and are used to adorn the main candle. These are then presented as merit-making offerings. Candles that are tied together (Mat Ruam) Smaller candles are simply tied together into a bunch before they are presented as merit-making offerings. The cone-shaped poom and mat ruam candles are similar. Both reflect the ingenuity of villagers in creating a variety of ways to adorn their candle offerings.
	THE GRAND CANDLE PROCESSION The magnificent Grand Candle Procession will comprise different candle processions, led by the Procession of the Royal Candle. Presentations of I-San folk culture add a colourful aspect to the festival.
	Presentations of I-San folk art and culture
	OTOP FAIR Each of the sub-districts or tambon of Ubon Ratchathani province are famous for locally grown or hand-crafted products considered to be unique to the area. These are brought together at the One Tambon One Product or OTOP Fair, offering a convenient opportunity for one-stop shopping for a vast range of souvenirs and local products.

Contact information:

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani Office
Tel: +66 (0) 4524 3770
Fax: +66 (0) 4524 3771
E-mail: tatubon@tat.or.th

http://www.tatnews.org

Chak Phra Festival

Chak Phra Festival

Each year, celebrations are held in this southern city and its environs. These include exhilarating drum beating and elaborately decorative boat competitions, as well as a meritorious ritual known as "Tak Bat Devo".
In the local dialect of Phattalung, "Phon" refers a small drum used to set rhythm. Traditionally the beating of the phon drum was used to herald the "Chak Phra" Buddhist ritual which falls on the first day of the waning moon in the eleventh month. In this ritual, Buddha images from various temples in the province are placed on a gilded open-sided throne with pointed spires called a busbok and carried through the town on an ornately decorated palanquin in elaborate land and water processions. The beat of the phon drum was used to set the pace at which the procession proceeds. Hence phon drum beating has always taken place in conjunction with the Chak Phra Buddha image procession.
As the end of the Buddhist Lent approaches, the temples in the province will prepare for the phon drum contest by refitting existing drums or making news ones. The phon drum is made from the wood of either a toddy palm or jackfruit tree and covered with taut buffalo skin, frog skin, other types of animal skins or specially-treated cloth. The phon drum comes in varying shapes and sizes with a diameter of at least 12 centimetres. The drum-sticks are made of hardwood.
Once made, the sound of the phon drum is tested after sundown so in the silence of the night, the beat travels afar. When the beat of the phon drum from one temple is heard by another, the other temple reciprocates. This generally takes place on the eve of the Chak Phra processions. With many temples in the area, the practice of 'testing' the drums for sound and pitch quickly evolved into phon drum-beating contests with each trying to outdo the other. Since then, it has become a well-established annual folk contest.
The quality of the beat of the drum is determined by the quality of the materials used, its shape and the skills of individual drummers. Contests are usually judged either by duration (and stamina) or sound quality. The latter becoming more popular as it takes less time in deciding the winner of the contest. The first round lasts three minutes while the final round, five minutes.
The phon drum-beating contest is also accompanied by the coconut-shell klong prok or klong kala drum-beating contest. This is a form of child's play. As children are escorted to the phon drum-beating contest by their parents, children mimic adults in the junior version of the drum-beating contest by beating on smaller drums made from coconut shells and covered with calf-skin, other animal skin or cloth. The klong prok or klong kala drum-beating contest provides an early introduction to the essential skills and has played an instrumental role in preserving this ancient art and cultural tradition.


Contact information:
Tourism Authority of Thailand, Hat Yai Office
Tel: +66 (0) 7423 1055, (0) 7423 8518, (0) 7424 3747
Fax: +66 (0) 7424 5986
E-mail: tatsgkhl@tat.or.th
http://www.tatnews.org

Phi Ta Khon or The Ghost Festival

As the most well-known event of Loei province in the Northeastern Thailand, Phi Ta Khon is the ultimate yearly celebration. The Thailand Ghost Festival is well regarded as an annual event where revelers put on rather hilarious, yet ghostly, masks made of bamboo and wicker and join in the Ghost parade. Regarded as a rain-making ceremony, this spooky festivity is held annually in the beginning of rainy season. This year the event will be held on 12 – 14 June at Dan Sai District of Loei province. Unlike Halloween, the ghosts and poltergeists in Phi Ta Khon seek their fun under full daylight.
Phi Ta Khon is a well-blended event between making merit, having a party, and reenacting the long-relayed folklore of King Vessandorn, the Buddha-to-be reincarnation. Buddhist legend has it that the townspeople were angry that the charitable King gave away two precious white elephant to another King who asked for them. They then forcibly put him into exile. The ang

els and spirits in the forest admired his unconditional generosity so they formed a procession to escort him back to rule the town. The townspeople became overjoyed with his epiphany and so, legend has it, the Phi Ta Khon celebration has its origins.
The festival will run for three days and the first day will be the masked procession of ghosts. The celebrants will put on fancy ghost masks and costumes which are handmade from colorfully-painted bamboo rice steamers and decorated with colorful strips of cloth sewn together. The most common appearance of Phi Ta Khon ghosts is the oversized head and long hooked nose, though you can also see many versions of the ghosts with long teeth or white face. Along the road, you can get spooked and teased by these playful ghosts and you’ll readily find yourself becoming a part of the joyful spirit.
On the second day, the villagers form up another procession that dances along the streets into a temple and then firing off homemade bamboo rockets to incite the gods to give rain and a bountiful harvest. In some areas there will be competitions for the best mask, costumes and dancing with the winners of each contest receiving a coveted brass plaque. On the last day of the event, the villagers will meet up at a local temple to listen and recite the sacred thirteen sermons of Buddha, chanted by local monks. To mark the end of the event, the ghosts then take off their masks and costumes and shelve them for the next year’s celebration.

Contact information:
Tourism Authority of Thailand, Loei Office
Tel: +66 (0) 4281 2812
Fax: +66 (0) 4281 1480
E-mail: tatloei@tat.or.th

Loy Krathong Festival

Loy Krathong Festival

Legends and myths abound as to the origins of Loy (floating) Krathong. In the ancient kingdom of Sukhothai some 700 years ago in the royal court there was a lady with great artistic skills named Naang Noparmart. She loved to make little lotus-shaped "Krathong" (pronounced gra-tong) with banana leaves and float them on the water with a candle, incense, and other decorations as homage to the Buddha. Even this legend mentions that the local people already celebrated a lantern festival by floating decorated lanterns on the river. When the king came to judge the best lanterns, he awarded Naang Noparmart the first prize. He further decreed that once a year, on the night of the full moon, a Buddhist holiday should be celebrated by floating lotus-shaped banana leaf boats.
There are several other legends about the origin of Loy Krathong, however, most are all similar in one aspect : they all suggest a leisure-time festival that was adopted into Buddhism a time long after the religion had originated.
However, there is still another side to the origins of this festival. King Chulalongkorn himself wrote under the title.. "The King's Ceremonies During the Twelve Months of the Year" various comments on Loy Krathong. He also put other comments on and beliefs of his own in written form. Among these, he says that Loy Krathong has nothing to do with any recognized ceremony or ritual; it is only time of rejoicing for all the people and not only for members of the royal family. In addition, King Chulalongkorn wrote that the Loy Krathong festival had nothing to do with either Buddhism or Brahmin beliefs in India. This esteemed monarch did say was that he thought the idea of the floating lanterns had something to do with the practice of the Thai kings of the Northern Kingdom when Sukhothai was at its height about 700 years ago.
This last comment is a most interesting observation by H.M. the King because the origins of Loy Krathong can be traced to the idea of water spirits and the floating away of all wrongdoings and uncontrollable calamities that befell people of the north and northeastern parts of Thailand. This is only natural, however, in as much as the North is a major rice-growing area, and also a place where superstitions have held on more strongly than in other parts of Thailand.
The earliest krathongs were simple and constructed from natural materials: the trunk of a banana tree was cut for a base while the leaves of the banana trees were carefully folded in the shape of lotus petals and attached to the base. Finally, flowers, incense sticks and candles were added. People wanting to create the most beautiful would take great pride in designing and making their krathongs.
The tradition continues today in much the same spirit. The natural materials used by our ancestors were entirely biodegradable. However, modern technology has created a nightmare to haunt the celebration. The use of Styrofoam which is easy to carve and shape with excellent flotation qualities has made the festival somewhat of a mixed blessing. More recently, on the morning after Loy Krathong, the banks of canals (klongs), river banks, parks, ponds, and the mouths of rivers are littered and choked with piles of Styrofoam. The cleanup can take up to several days. This year use only biodegradable krathongs when participating in the celebration.
Several interesting events will be taking place at Chiang Inn Plaza on Thursday 13 November 1997 from 1900 hours until midnight:

1. Kome parade from Thapae Gate to Changklan Road (Against one way direction, therefore traffic will be closed during the parade). Almost all of these komes are in contest.
2. Folk Music and Shows.
3. Demonstration on how to make kome, dtoong (Lanna style banner), and krathong.
4. Open-air Northern food market.
5. Painting contest of Land and River Lanterns.

The most popular activities and events below are sponsored by the Chiangmai Municipal Office. (Other activities are not included).

Date : November 8 - 10, 2011

Activities :

Shopping at vintage and riverside night markets, appreciating old songs at Old Song Plaza, Joining local recreational games, enjoying performance show on stage and witnessing Krathong Contest for the King’s Cup

For More Details :

TAT Chiang Mai Office Tel. +66 5324 8604, +66 5324 8607

TAT Call Center 1672

http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com

Yee Peng Festival

Hanging Lanterns (Kome)

According to northern Thailand or Lanna tradition, each month is counted two months earlier than that in the Central Plain region. This then makes the 12th month in the Central Plain region equivalent to the second (Yee) month (Peng) in the Lanna time frame. Northerners usually enjoy the Yee Peng month very much because it is the festival of the lanterns.

During the Rattanakosin (Bangkok) era, especially when King Mongkut (Rama IV) reigned over the kingdom, the Brahmin ceremony was adopted along with Buddhist ceremonies. The ceremony would begin during the evening with chanting of prayers. The lanterns would then be left overnight until the early morning meal of the monks. This sacred ceremony is presided over by ten high ranking monks.
Dating back to ancient days, the decorative ceremony of lanterns was based on Brahmin beliefs or Brahminism. At this ceremony the people of long ago paid respect by worshipping three different gods. These gods were Pra I-Suan, Pra Narai, and Pra Prom. For this reverent ceremony, the candles used to light up the lantern were made from cow's fat or wax that came from within the royal gates of the reigning monarch. Usually these candles were made by a Brahmin priest, and of course, the process of making the candles strictly followed the requirements of a Brahmin ceremony.
Formerly, lantern decorations were commonly seen hanging on all mansions in the grand palace. The great numbers and the beauty of the lanterns reflected the status of the royal family members. (Next to the king, the titles of royalty were "Jow Fah", "Pra Ong Jow", "Mom Jow", "Mom Rajawong" and "Mom Luang"). There were also three classifications of lanterns, which were the Kome Chai, Kome Pra-Tiab, and Kome Boriwan.
Up until the present time, a tradition developed wherein people sacrifice their time to design and to assemble various kinds of strong, beautiful, and creative lanterns. The worshippers donated the lanterns to the temples asking their wishes to be fulfilled. Usually the person would say a prayer, requesting his desire to be a sharp, brighter, and a more clever person in the future. This belief is based on the comparison that a bright light would lead a person out of his present darkness into a lustrous future.
As mentioned earlier, these lanterns were devoted to the three different gods. The lanterns were also presented to high ranking officials and wealthy people. It is then interesting to understand why Komes were so presentable and how these lanterns are made. The main structure of these lanterns are usually made with bamboo and covered with a coarse palm paper or cloth. Inside, a bamboo cylinder was necessary to protect the possible burning of the paper since altogether 24 candles were required to light up the lantern. This large number of candles made illumination possible for about three hours. Candles were not always used to light these lanterns. Oils such as sesame seed, castor, or coconut oils were also used. The creation of these lanterns is open for the public to see and study how they are made at Chiang Inn Plaza during this festival.
People thought that lanterns could only be lit during Buddhist holidays or ceremonies. But actually, lanterns can be lit every evening or night. These lanterns can be hung on gates, fences, doors, windows, or the roof, or any place an individual wants to adorn with these delightful creations.
There have been four different purposes for the northern Thais to hang lanterns. They are for beauty, to pay respect to Buddha images, to make one's home or mansion brighter, and for propitious purposes.
Nowadays, there are four traditional Komes in the north that attract visitors every year. They are 1) Kome Thuea (carrying lantern) or Kome Gratai (a rabbit's ear), 2) Kome Kwaen (hanging lantern), 3) Kome Paad (revolving lantern), and 4) Kome Loy (hot air floating lantern).
A Kome Thuea or Kome Gratai has a lighted candle inside. A Buddhist believer will carry it along during the Yee Peng Parade. When the parade is over, the worshippers will take the lanterns and decorate the temples, vihara, and other buildings. If there are other celebrations other than the Yee Peng Festival, beautifully made lanterns are used to decorate a stage. Usually, a lantern shaped as a lotus is used to pay respect and the citizens will pray to the Buddha images and make offerings to the monks.
Kome Kwaen are also offered to pay respect and prayers to Buddha images are made. There are several shapes of this certain lantern. They are the Baat Pra (Alms bowl), Dow (Star), Ta Gra (Basket), and Tammajak (the wheel of law which means to have a thorough knowledge about religious discourses). The Buddhists will hang these lanterns around a temple, vihara, alms-house, sala, or house.
The Kome Paad is an interesting lantern since it revolves on an axis. This is done with the aide of the heat from the candle's smoke. In order to make it revolve, the candle is placed inside the lantern where little gadgets take the energy from the smoke and then revolves. The lantern is shaped like a circle, almost like the earth. Usually there are pictures glued on, such as the 12 characters of the horoscope. This revolving lantern will give the effect of shadow puppets. Kome Paad can only be seen during the Yee Peng Festival. It is placed in the temple gates and is not allowed to be moved from one place to another.
The Kome Loy is a lantern that is similar to a hot-air-balloon. It is also quite similar to that of a normal lantern except it does not require 24 candles for illumination. Because the air lantern must rise up to float in the air, it must be lightweight, therefore, it does not have a bamboo cylinder inside. In order to send the lantern into the air, it requires a method to heat the air. This is done by tying a small bowl underneath the open section of the lantern. Oil is then placed into the bowl along with a cotton cloth. As the oil catches fire and commences burning, the hot air quickly travels into the lantern and it soon rises into the air.
It is believed that by sending off these lanterns an individual can send one's sins and bad luck into the air. Usually before the lantern soars into the sky, an individual will pray that one's sin or bad luck will be transported on the lantern and floated away high into the sky. Sometimes an address is left inside. The purpose of this is when the lantern come back down to the ground, and individual can follow an address and seek for money from whomever wrote the address. Or even sometimes, the maker will put some money inside the lantern. The purpose of the hot air lantern is to worship and pay respect to the Phra Ged Kaew Ju La Manee. An old legend tells that during war, these lanterns were sent into enemy territory and exploded.

Yee Peng Festival

Date : November 8 - 11, 2011

Venue : at Chang Klan Road, Chiang Mai Night Bazar, Muang District, Chiang Mai Province

Activities :

Enjoying traditional performance in lanna style and floating lantern (Yee Peng) contest, joining a demonstration of how to make krathongs and Yee Peng lanterns

For More Details :

TAT Chiang Mai Office Tel. +66 5324 8604, +66 5324 8607

TAT Call Center 1672

From : http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com

Chonburi Buffalo Race

Chonburi Buffalo Race

The races are taken very seriously by the owners of the buffaloes. Prizes for the first nose past the finishing line guarantee owners go to considerable lengths to ensure their buffaloes are in tip-top condition.
Clouds of dust rise as these hefty animals pound down the short course at an alarming speed, reminiscent of a stampede. The crowd roars in support of the favorites and the atmosphere is as an enthralling as watching thoroughbred race horses.
Admittedly, mites slower than a race horse, but the buffaloes are no slouches when it comes to making a short dash for glory.

Although this day of fun and competition would succeed with just the buffaloes as the celebrities, there are other activities to make it a worthwhile outing for families.
A fair with food stalls and handicrafts appeals to visitors who love authentic Thai food, snacks and sweets. Then there are the rides for children, concerts of folk music and, of course, a beauty contest where the prize is the honour of being declared Miss Buffalo.
Not exactly the most adhering of titles for an aspiring beauty queen, but it does not seem to deter contestants from seeking the limelight of the catwalk.
Here is a festival that provides photo opportunities to capture an unusual adaptation of the 100-metre dash. Well worth seeing, is always the conclusion of those who make the effort to travel to Chonburi.


Activities:

- Traditional wagon parade

- Cultural preservation parade from the government and private sectors

- Various buffalo contests such as beautiful types, funny types, etc.

- Sea mussel opening contest

- Beauty contests

- Folk games such as oiled pole climbing, rattan ball, Thai boxing, slingshot shooting, etc.

Date: October 11, 2011 Venue: The lawn in front of Chonburi District Office
For more information:
TAT Call Center 1672
Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya office
+66 3842 7667, +66 3842 8750
Send Inquiry

http://www.tourismthailand.org