MAJOR PUBLIC EVENTS
Few occasions offer a better chance to meet Thai people and see their traditional
 customsthan one of the major festivals celebrated each year. Many take
place nationwide, which means thatyou can join them wherever you happen
to be in this hospitable kingdom. The dates for some varydepending on the
lunar calendar, so check with your nearest TAT office to find out whether
theyfall during your visit.
Magha Puja (February)
A Buddhist holy day, this celebrates the occasion when
1,250 of the Buddha's disciples spontaneously gathered to hear him preach.
At all temples there are merit-making ceremonies during the day, while
at night candlelit proces-sions walk three times around the main chapel
of the monastery.
Songkran (April 12-141)
The traditional Thai New Year is celebrated in every
city and village on this occasion, a blend of solemn religious.ceremonies
and high-spirited public festivities. Revered Buddha images and respected
elders are sprinkled with lustral water in the first, along with various
merit-making activities. The second part involves giving almost anyone
along the streets a thorough soaking, though all in a spirit of good-will
and with a maximum of what Thais call sanuk or fun.
Chiang Mai is famous for its Songkran parades and beauty
contests, while in Bangkok the venerated Phra Buddha Sihing image is ritually
bathed at Sanam Luano the Grand Palace. A special Songkran
of Festival is held a week later by the Mon people of Phra Pradaeng in
Samut Prakan province, just south of Bangkok.
Visakha Puja (Away)
The holiest of all Buddhist celebrations, this marks
the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. Sermons are given byrevered
monks in all temples, and there are impressive candlelight processions
in the evening. In Bangkok, a week-long exhibition is staged by various
temples at Sanam Luang across from the Grand Palace.
Asalha Puja and Khao Phansa
The first of these, on the full-moon day of the eight
lunar month, commemorates the Buddha's first sermon to his first five disciples
after attaining enlightenment, while the second marks the commencement
of the annual three-month Rains Retreat when monks customarily stay inside
their monasteries to study and medi-r.ar.e.
A natable celebration of Khao Phansa is the Candle Festival
held in the northeastern city of Ubon Ratchathani, when beautifully carved
beeswax candles, some several metres tall, are paraded through the streets
before being presented to local temples.
Loi Krathong (November)
One of the loveliest of all Thai festivals, this honors
the water spirits who play such a significant role in the nation's life.
Small, ba-nana-leaf boats in the shape of a lotus blossom, adorned with
flowers, candles, and incense sticks, are set adrift on waterways throughout
the kingdom in a memorable spectacle under the light of a full moon.
Of particular interest are the Loi Krathong celebrations
at the Bang Sai Arts and Crafts Centre near the old capital of Ayutthaya
and amid the ruins of Sukhothai, the first Thai capital where according
to legend the tradition originated. In Chiang Mai, the festival is a three-day
affair and includes a special event called Yi Peng, when colourful, hot-air
balloons with candles are launched into the evening sky.
H.M. the King's Birthday (December 5)
On this day, the great respect felt by all Thais for
their monarchy is reflected in the elaborate decorations that adorn government
buildings, businesses, and many private homes. Films and other performances
are presented at Sanam Luang outside the Grand Palace, which is spectacularly
illuminated for the occasion.
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