Festivals are an essential part of Thai life and as
such offer the visitor a valuable opportunity not only for having
fun, but also for gaining an insight into various aspects of Thai
culture. This is especially true in the rural areas where the years
is still dictated by the agricultural cycle and times of toil are
punctuated by seasonal festivals that serve as both holidays and
propitious occasions.Many festivals follow the lunar calendar and
are thus moveable feasts, while others have set annual dates. There
are, however, so many throughout the year that whenever you arrive
in Thailand you can be pretty sure of being in time for one special
occasion or another.
Of the national events, Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year
on April 13th, and Loi Krathong, on the night of the full moon in
November, are the most famous. The former, these days most riotously
celebrated in Chiang Mai, is a boisterous affair in which water is
splashed over one and all. It is symbolic of cleansing though most
youngsters see it as just good fun.
Loi Krathong, by contrast, is a quieter more romantic event in
which homage is paid to the Mother of Waters. All over the country,
people gather at rivers, ponds, and lakes under the moonlight to
float krathongs, small lotus-shaped offerings containing, a candle a
coin. It is a moving and magical sight.
Of all the regional celebrations, the most spectacular is the Yasothon Rocket Festival held in
May in the Northeast region of Thailand. At the festival,
home-made rockets are fired into the air as an invocation for
rain, the timely arrival of the monsoon being crucial for the rice
harvest. Whether the rockets actually bring rain or not, no one in
the Yasothon province dears to misses this opportunity for having a wild
and joyous celebration.
Other events, like the Royal Ploughing Ceremony held in Bangkok
to predict the year’s rice harvest, or the Elephant Round-up, rites
and pageants that have for long regulated the lives of the people.
November Festivals in Thailand
 Sukhothai Loi Krathong and Candle Festival 2006 - Province.
Cultural enthusiasts are invited to join Loi Krathong and Candle
Festival at Sukhothai Historical Park.
Yi Peng Lantern Festival - While the float festival or Loi Krathong
Festival of other regions in Thailand falls on the full moon day of
the twelfth lunar month, folk people in up north regard this same
day as Yi Peng Lantern Festival (Muang District, Chiang Mai
Province).
River Kwai Bridge Week - The Tourism Authority of Thailand and
Kanchanaburi join hands to showcase a grand light and sound
presentation during the River Kwai Bridge Week in November at the
River Kwai Bridge, Kanchanaburi (River Kwai Bridge, Kanchanaburi
Province).
Thailand's International and Traditional Long Boat Race - Thailand
International and Traditional Long Boat Race will host a number of
oarsmen to vie for the fastest vessel on the Chao Phraya River at
Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Center in Ayutthaya (Ayutthaya
Province)
Related Travel Articles:
Thailand's Festivals and holidays Guide
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