Thai  Festival

Numerous festivals and fairs in Thailand is incredible - there always seems to be something go on.

The most beautiful of all Thai festivals is known as "Loy Krathong Festival" under the full moon light. The other wonderful festivals, "Songkran Festival" (the Thai New Year), with the throwing of water over everyone and sprinkling of sc ared images.

Kite Flying Festival • Songkran Festival • Rocket Festival • The Poy Sang Long Festival • The Phi Ta Khon • The Moon Festival • Long-boat Racing • Sart Day • Chinese Vegetarian Festival • Tak Bat Devo and Chak Phra Feativals • Loy Krathong Festival • Yee Peng Festival • The Elephant Round-up Festival • The Death Railway Bridge • Illuminated Boat Procession

Kite Flying Festival (February - April)
from all works of life especially young children in the countryside. The Kite-flying season usually take place between February and April when the south -west monsoon blows from the Gulf of Thailand and the rice harvesting season is over.

Kite-flying was said to have its origins in China at least 3,000 years ago during the Hun Dynasty .The Chinese armies made kites attached with bamboo piper to fly over the enemy When the wind passed through the pipes to fly over the enemy When the wind passed through the pipers ,it made an errie whistling sound causing the enemy to panic and ran for their lives.

In the early Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya, kite - flying was so popular that it was prohibited to fly kites over the royal palace as they might damage the architectural spires. Meanwhile , kite -flying gained its highest popularity in the reign of King Rama IV when a royal decree allowed citizen to fly kites as Sanam Luang , opposite the Grand Palace.

To Preserve the Summer tradition and promote the tourism industry of the country, kite-flying has now received a greater attention from the authorities. Kite enthusiasts from several countries have been invited to display their craft and skills in the kite-flying contest held in the country Several. Thai teams also took part in the contest. Spectators were able to see Thai kite fighting contests held in the country Several Thai teams also took part in the contest . Spectator Were able to see Thai kite fighting contests between the traditional Chula and Pakpao kitws as wel

l Above all. They are able to discover hundreds of different kinds of kites of kites in a myriad of sizes, colours, shapes and styles flying in the clear Summer sky above the Sanam Luang ground.

Out of the contest, at this time of the year kites,large and small,of every colour ,shape and dimension always fill the sky all over the country, They are spinning. Floating, soaring ,swooping and even crashing to the ground.Grown-ups and children alike enjor watching the clear sky decorated with extraordinary kites throughout the Summer vacation .

Songkran Festival (April)
Songkran is a Thai traditional New Year which starts on April 13 every year and lasts for 3 days. Songkran festival on April 13 is Maha Songkran Day or the day to mark the end of the old year, April 14 is Wan Nao which is the day after and April 15 is Wan Thaloeng Sok which the New Year begins. At this time, people from the rural areas who are working in the city usually return home to celebrate the festival. Thus, when the time come, Bangkok temporarily turns into a deserted city.

Songkran is a Thai word which means "move" or "change place" as it is the day when the sun changes its position in the zodiac. It is also known as the "Water Festival" as people believe that water will wash away bad luck.

The Songkran tradition is recognized as a valuable custom for the Thai community, society and religions. The value for family is to provide the opportunity for family members to gather in order to express their respects to the elders by pouring scented water onto the hands of their parents and grandparents and to present them gifts including making merits to dedicate the result to their ancestors. The elders in return wish the youngsters good luck and prosperity.

The values for community is to provide the opportunity to create unity in the community such as to jointly acquire merits, to meet each other and to enjoy the entertaining events. And for the society value is to create concern upon environment with cooperation such as to clean houses, temples, public places and official buildings. Thais value the religion bye means of merits acquisition, offerings alms to monks, Dhamma Practice, listening to sermon and monks-bathing.

In the afternoon, after performing a bathing rite for Buddha images and the monks, the celebrants both young and old, joyfully splash water oon each other. The most-talked about celebration takes place in the northern province of Chiang Mai where Songkran is celebrated from April 13 to 15. During this period, people from all parts of the country flock there to enjoy the water festival, to watch the Miss Songkran Contest and the beautiful parades.

In Bangkok, the Buddha image "Buddhasihing" is brought out from the National Museum for people to sprinkle lustral water at Sanam Luang, opposite the Grand Palace.

Bangfai Rocket Festival (May)
Rocket Festival or "Boon Bang Fai" in Thai is usually held in the second week of May of each year, at the beginning of the rainy season. The farmers are ready to cultivate their paddy fields. The festival is popularly celebrated in the northeastern provinces of Yasothorn and Ubon Ratchathani. The celebration is an entreaty to the rain god for plentiful rains during the coming rice planting season.

The festival itself owes its beginning to a legend that a rain god named Vassakan was known for his fascination of being worshipped with fire. To receive plentiful rains for rice cultivation, the farmers send the home-made rockets to the heaven where the god resided. The festival has been carried out till these days.

Under the guidance of Buddhist monks, it takes the villagers weeks to make the rockets, launching platforms and other decorations. An average rocket is some nine metres in length and carries 20-25 kilogrammes of gunpowder

In the afternoon of the festival day, rockets are carried in the procession to the launching site. Villagers dressed in colourful traditional costumes attract the eyes of the onlookers, who line up along the procession route.

Before ignition of the rockets, there will be more singing and dancing to celebrate the festival. The climax of the festival is the ignition time. One by one the rockets are fired from the launching platforms. Each liftoff s greeted by cheers and noisy music. The rocket that reaches the greatest height is the winner and the owner of this rocket will dance and urge for rewards on their way home while the owners of the rockets, that exploded or failed to fly, will be thrown into the mud. The celebration is a communual affair of the villagers who come to share joy and happiness together before heading to the paddy fields where hard work is waiting for them.

The Poy Sang Long Festival (May - April)

The Poy Sang Long isa three-day celebration of Buddhist novice ordination which usually takes place in late March or early April of every year in the Thailand's most north-western province of Mae Hong Sorn.

The festival is the custom and tradition of the Shans or Tai Yaian ethnic Thai tribe who migrated from northern Burma and then inhabited most of Mae Hong Sorn. The Tai Yais have a strong devotion to Buddhism, and to follow their age-old tradition the young boys between the age of 7 and 14 will be ordained as novices for a period to learn the Buddhist doctrinces and to gain merit for their parents. It is believed that the tradition is probably to follow in the footsteps of Prince Rahula, the first Buddhist novice who was the Buddha's own son. The young prince gave up his wordly life to follow his father's spiritual teachings.

The festival is rich in colour and display making it a most exciting event that draws residents of the entire province to take part. Prior to the arrival of the three-day festival, the boys have their heads shaved and are then bathed and anointed with special waters. They are dressed up in jewelled finery and their faces are expertly made up. These boys are known as the "Jewel Princes" or "Look Kaew" in Thai.

The Phi Ta Khon (June)
Phi Ta Khon is a type of masked procession celebrated on the first day of a three-day Buddhist merit-making holiday known in Thai as "Boon Pra Wate". The annual festival takes place in *May, June or July at a small town of Dan Sai in the northeastern province of Loei.

Participants of the festival dress up like ghosts and monsters wearing huge masks made carved coconut-tree trunks, topped with a wicker-work sticky-rice steamer. The procession is marked by a lot of music and dancing.

The precise origin of the Phi Ta Khon is unclear. However, it can be traced back to a traditional Buddhist folklore. In the Buddha's next to last life, he was the beloved Prince Vessandorn. The prince was said to go on a long trip for such a long time that his subjects forgot him and even thought that he was already dead. When he suddenly returned, his people were overjoyed. They welcomed him back with a celebration so loud that it even awoke the dead who then joined in all the fun.

From that time onward the faithful came to commemorate the event with ceremonies, celebrations and the donning of ghostly spirit masks. The reasons behind all the events is probably due to the fact that it was held to evoke the annual rains from the heavens by farmers and to bless crops.

On the second day, the villagers dance their way to the temple and fire off the usual bamboo rockets to signal the end of the procession. The festival organisers also hold contests for the best masks, costumes and dancers, and brass plaques are awarded to the winners in each age group. The most popular is the dancing contest.

Then comes the last day of the event, the villagers then gather at the local temple, Wat Ponchai, to listen to the message of the thirteen sermons of the Lord Buddha recited by the local monks.

Then it is time for the revellers to put away their ghostly masks and costumes for another year. From now on, they must again return to the paddy fields to eke out their living through as their forefathers did.

The Moon Festival (September or October)
The Chinese Moon Festival usually takes place on the 15th day of the eight lunar month (in September or October). The Mid - Autumn Festival is held in honour of the Moon Goddess which is believed to have been born on this date.

However, the historical fact about the origin of the festival is still unclear. Some say that the great Han dynasty emperor Wu Di initiated a three-day celebration to worship the autumn moon. Many, however, argue that the festival, in fact, originated around 1368 during the Mongol's domination of China. The cake was made to hide a secret message of the rebellion to tell people across the country of a large gathering during the eight lunar month. The Mongol army was not aware of the rebellious purpose, they thought that the cakes were an old tradition. They, thus were defeated that night. After a new dynasty named Ming was set up, the practice has been carried on till these days.

Besides these historical facts, there are also many myths and legends, one of these is that of Siang - Ngor (Some says Chang - E) Siang - Ngor was very beautiful. She was the wife of a high - ranking Chinese officer. After taking a magic medicine, she flew up to the moon and lived there. She later became immortal after consuming the immortal water given to her by a certain Goddess in heaven. Siang - Ngor the Moon Goddess was said to be very kind. When the cultivation season arrived, she would pour immortal water to the earth and this brought prosperity to all farmers. To express their gratitude to the Moon Goddess, farmers thus made Khanom go (or sweetmeat) from rice flour as an offering to her on the full moon night of the eight lunar month.

Since Chinese festival usually involve special delicacies to be given as offerings, on this occasion, Moon cake is specially made as an offering. This Chinese delicacy is, however, hardly a cake in the western sense of the word. In Thailand, the art of Chinese style cake was brought to the country by Chinese immigrants almost 100 years ago.

The original Chinese Moon cake included such ingredients as red beans, five types of Chinese nuts and ground lotus seeds and so on. Thailand has its own variations of including durian, chestnut, and persimmon. Additional ingredients may include lotus seeds, salted egg yolk and watermelon seeds.

It is to be noted that the ceremony is usually conducted by women as people believe that the moon is uniquely associated with female diety. Thus, powder and cosmetics are also offered with the hope of bringing beauty and beautiful skin to the entire female family members.

Whatever the scientific progress may be, it will never make any impact on traditional beliefs and festivals which have been passed on from generation to generation.

Long-boat Racing (September)
Long-boat Racing is one of the traditional rites which marks the end of the Buddhist Rains Retreat. It mainly takes place in the 11 th or 12 th lunar months (around September or October). When the water level is at its highest. At this time,racing is held almost nationwide,notably in PhichitPhisanuloke, Nan , Angthong, Pathumthani, Surat Thani and Ayuttathaya etc.

Traditionally,long-boat racing is held as an annual event by provices with a major waterway flowing through. It is not restricted to any particular region. At present,long-boat racing is considered as a national sport,its history can be traced back to Ayuthaya period some 600 years ago However ,boat racing in those days was justs only a mean to keep boat means physically and mentally fit for national defence.

Usually racing boats are made from dugout tree trunks and can accommodate up to 60 oarsmen sitting in a double row. The oarsmen usually dress in the same colour.The festival event draws several hundreds of local and foreign spectators who watch the race along both sides of the riverbank enthusiastically . At the end,trophies and prizes are given to the winning teams.

Lanna Boat Races Nan October 2001

Lanna Boat Races form part of the local kathin religious ceremony traditionally held during the Ok Phansa, the end of the Buddhist Lent. The races on the Nan River are colorful and unique because the racing boats are brightly decorated with imaginati vely designed prows. The cheering squads on the river bank are usually boisterous and plenty of fun. The boat races are also meant to celebrate the black ivory, an age-old object of Nan Province.

Sart Day (September)
The Thai Sart Day refers to merit-making activities in the middle of the traditiional Thai year, and if counted by the lunar calendar, falls on the fifteenth day of the waning moon of the tenth lunar month (usually some time during September)

The word "Sart" is derived from the Indian language, Pali, and means "season", while in English it means "autumn". In fact, the season of Sart or the autumn is the time at which food crops begin to ripen. However, autumn takes place only in countries which are situated above the tropical zone, such as the countries in Northern Europe, China and the northern part of India. Thus, due to Thailand's geographical location in the tropics, the Thai Sart Day has no connection with the autumn or the ripening season at all. At this time of the year our rice has not yet ripened

and only some fruits are mature enough to be eaten. Meanwhile, the countries which have the season of autumn will take this time to joyfully celebrate the occasion as their crops bear their first yield and a wide assortment of fruits and vegetables are in bountiful supply.

In ancient times, people of all races believed that the first harvest of rice, fruit and all other forms of food, including the first catch of fish or any other animal, should be offerd to the holy spirits which, they believed, were the creators of food crops and animals. As a result, by appeasing the spirits, in theory the people were protected from starvation. However, during years in which there were bad harvests or food shortages, they believed that this was caused by the indignation of the holy spirits who might have been angry with human actions. Therefore, the ancient people were very much afraid of these invisible beings and to please them, people made offerings and sacrifices in their honour.

Krayasat which means food for the Sart Rite is prepared from rice, bean, sesame and sugar cooked into a sticky paste and then wrapped with a banana leaf. After making Krayasart people would take it to the temple to be offered to the monks on Sart Day. At the temple, a raised-platform would be erected in a long line on the temple grounds and the monk's alms-bowls would be placed on it. People would then put Krayasart in the alms-bowls till they were full of Krayasart. Then the Krayasart would be transferred into a bamboobasket by the temple boys. At the same time, food and dessert would be separately offered to the monks at their lodging. At the end of the offering ceremony, people would perform a ceremony of pouring the water of dedication, in order to transfer merit to other beings, as people believed that if they did not offer Krayasart to monks, their dead relatives would have nothing to eat and thus they would be condemned as having no gratitude towards their benefactors. After finishing their meals, the monks would consume Krayasart as their dessert, since on that day people had noting to offer apart from ripe dainty bananas and Krayasart. Naturally Krayasart is very sweet, thus it is recommended to be eaten with bananas, especially dainty bananas. After making merit, people would exchange the remaining Krayasart among themselves. In so doing, they could have the opportunity to test Krayasart cooked by others. As a result, anyone whose Krayasart had an excellent taste would have his good name spread from mouth-to-mouth.

In those days, people prefered to prepare Krayasart by themselves and it was not available in the market. Thus, when one made something to eat, he would give it to his neighbours free. Above all, if someone had work which required a huge amount of labour, his neighbours would come forward to help at once. This brought about unity and strengthened friendship among local residents. Meanwhile, the focal point of the community was the Buddhist temple, which symbolised the Buddhist religion and acted as a major unifying element, especially during festivals and merit-making ceremonies. The temple was used as a place of learning, where people came to perform various activities and at the same time took an opportunity to wear new clothes to show off to their friends, as in those days, people had hardly any other chance to do so. Evidently, people's lives have always been associated with the temple which has served as the core of village unity. People in the past observedthe Sart Rite with much enthusiasm. Now, however, the rite seems to have lost much of its significance, especially in Bangkok. Nevertheless it is still one of the most valuable Buddhist festivals to be observed countrywide.

Chinese Vegetarian Festival (October)
This annual auapicious event is a most colorful and dramatic celebration which takes place during the first nine days of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. The 9-day event is usually in late September or early October.

The origin of the festival is unclear. However, it has been passed from generation to generation that it originated in the south-eastern part of China near Fujian Province. The festival was celebrated to make merit and save animals from being killed for food

In Thailand, the most talked - about vegetarian festival is in Southern Province of Phuket where the auspicious ceremony is held in a grand celebration. During the 9-day period, the devout Chinese Buddhists dress in white attire, convert to vegetarians and observe the ten rules in order to purify their minds and bodies.

Besides a strict vegetarian diet and temple offering, some highlights of the 9-day event include incredible acts of self -mortification such as climbing knife - blade ladders, walking on hot coals, a ritual of bridge - crossing and a street - procession in which the mediums in a state of trance have their cheeks pierced and bodies spiked with various types of sharp objects.

The entire atmosphere is full of religious frenzy with the ear - spliting sound of firecrackers and lion dances. In the evening of the last day event, the main road of Phuket Town is turned into a path of din and smoke of firing crackers. All the local residents participate in the event. Visitors to Thailand should not miss an opportunity to visit Phuket during this auspicious event.

Vegetarian Festival Trang
October 16 -25
Oringinating in the 19th century, this annual event is conducted by the locals of Chinese descent who engage in a ten-day vegetarian diet. There are merit-making ceremonies at local Chinese temples as well as processions of ascetics performing extraordinary feats.

Phuket Vegetarian Festival
October 17-25
This annual event is held during the 9th Chinese calendar month in which the locals of Chinese ancestry undertake a ten-day vegetarian diet. Various rituals are performed at Chinese temples and there are processions of ascetic devotees performing remarkable feats such as fire-walking and climbing ladders with knife-edged rungs.

Tak Bat Devo and Chak Phra Feativals (October)
There is a Buddhist myth that during one Rains Retreat or "Khao Phansa" Lord Buddha went to heaven to deliver a sermon to his mother who died after giving birth to Lord Buddha (them Prince Siddharatha) and was born again in heave n. The sermon given was said to last for the entire period of the Rains Retreat (3 months).

Upon completing his mission in heaven, Lord Buddha then returned to earth and was greeted by a crowd of his disciples and followers. To commemorate this event, two public festivals are held, namely; the "Tak Bat Devo" in the central region and the "Chak Phra" in the south. Both portray the event of Lord Buddha's return to earth and annually take place immediately after the end o f the 3-months Rains Retreat. However, the celebration of these two festivals may be different in its preparation and practices. In other words, Tak Bat Devo means "offering of food to Buddhist monks". The celebration is an imitation of L ord Buddha's descent from heaven. Thus, a high place such as the hill is preferably used as a starting point, the Golden Mount of Wat Sraker in Bangkok is a good example of this. But for the temple built far away from the hill, the consecrated assembly ha ll (or Uposatha) can also be used as a starting point.

When all is ready, the row of Buddhist monks, headed by the image of a standing Buddha carried by men representing God Indra ad God Brahma, will move slowly along the path arranged in advance. People then offer a variety of food and fruit to the passing monks. The rite ends when the last monk in the row finishes the entire route.

Meanwhile, Chak Phra literally means "pulling of the Buddhist monks" and it is celebrated in many southern provinces such as Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pattani, Phatthalung, Songkhla, and Yala. The most impressive Chak Phra festival is on the Tapi River in Surat Thani Province. To mark this occasion, two float-pulling ceremonies are held, one on land and the other on water. On land, the splendidly adorned floats are pulled across the town by the participants of the ceremony. At the sam e time, on water, the ceremony is highlighted by a float decorated in colourful Thai design of a float made to carry the Buddha image. This float is then towed to the middle of the river for a religious ceremony. On the following day, the float carrying t he Buddha image is towed along the river so that river so that people can worship and make merit. Both land and river events are highly colourful. The Chak Phra festival then concludes with an exciting boat race and a traditional game.

Loy Krathong Festival (November)
Loy Krathong Day is one of the most popular festivals of Thailand celebrated annually on the Full-Moon Day of the Twelfth Lunar Month. It takes place at a time when the weather is fine as the rainy season is over and there is a high water level all over the country.

"Loy" means "to float" and a "Krathong" is a lotus-shaped vessel made of banana leaves. The Krathong usually contains a candle, three joss-sticks, some flowers and coins.

In fact, the festival is of Brahmin origin in which people offer thanks to the Goddess of the water. Thus, by moonlight, people light the candles and joss-sticks,

make a wish and launch their Krathongs on canals, rivers or even small ponds. It is believed that the Krathongs carry away sins and bad luck, and the wishes that have been made for the new year due to start. Indeed, it is the time to be joyful and happy as the sufferings are floated away.

The festival starts in the evening when there is a full moon in the sky. People of all walks of life carry their Krathongs to the nearby rivers. After lighting candles and joss-sticks and making a wish, they gently place the Krathongs on the water and let them drift away till they go out of sight.

A Beauty Queen Contest is an important part of the festival and for this occasion

it is called "The Noppamas Queen Contest". Noppamas is a legendary figure from the Sukhothai period. Old documents refer to her as the chief royal consort of a Sukhothai Kng named "Lithai". Noppamas was said to have made the first decorated Krathong to float in the river on the occasion.

In Bangkok, major establishments such as leading hotels and amusement parks organise their Loy Krathong Festival and the Krathong contest as mojor annual function.

For visitors to Thailand, the Loy Krathong Festival is an occasion not to be missed. the festival is listed in the tourist calendar. Everyone is invited to take part and share the joy and happiness.

Bang Sai Loi Krathong (Festival of Lights)
November 10 - 11
Bang Sai Royal Arts & Crafts Centre, Ayutthaya
This event held during the full-moon in November features the launching of traditional floats (Krathongs), demonstrations and exhibitions of local handicrafts, as well as an array of other fun activities.

Loi Krathong & Candle Festival
November 20 - 22
Sukhothai Historical Park, Skhothai
It is believed that the Loi Krathong Festival originated in Sukhothai, the first Thai capital. It is therefore appropriate that this captivating event is held on the full-moon night of the twelfth lunar month amid the breathtaking ruins of this glorious ancient city. Activities include krathong floating, a fireworks display, cultural performances and an amazing light and sound show.

Yee Peng Festival (November)
Yee Peng is tha annual festival held to celebrate the fulll moon in the northern capital of Chiang Mai on the day preceding Loy Krathong by one day in November.The word "Yee Peng" is the northern Thai term referring to the full moon of the 12 th lunar month in the Buddhist calendar.

The festival is celebrated as a religious event in whichlocal people throughout the region make merit and other religious activities. The highlight of the event focuses on the lunching of the Khom loy or floating lanterns info the night sky with the belief that misfortune will fly away with the lanterns. It is their belief,if the lanterns are made and offered is said to symbolise knowledge and the light it gives will guide them to the right path of their lives.

Meanwhile,"Khom loy" is a Thai word signifying the floating lantern which is a large balloon - like made from a light bamboo frame covered with saa(mulberry) paper. It floats by means of hot air heated by a flaming torch fixed in the balloon. During the event, both day and night local people and monks are closely involved with the Khom making process. Besides, the premises of large hotels, the temple compound is thus the appropriate venue for the launching of the Khom. The activity has gained such popularity that at the height of the event the flight training of the Royal Thai Air Force has to be suspended until all the Khom Loy have dispersed while all commercial air traffic at the airport has been warned to exercise extreme caution as the climbing lanterns could pose a danger to the jet turbines.

To celebrate the auspicious event, companies and private individuals make merit by sponsoring balloons to dispel bad luck and seek good fortune. If their balloons rise high and travel far, this indicates prosperity. It has been said that this kind of hot air balloon could rise to heights of up to 1,250 metres and travel even as far as Hat Yai District of the southern province of Songkhla.

The most spectacular event is held at the Thapae Gate area where local and foreign visitors can see floats, marchers and beautiful Yee Peng queens. As the night falls, the spectators will be excited to see the long strings of Khom loy rise gently into the limitless sky as they stimulate the participants' spirits to rise higher to the heaven. This brings joy and happiness to the merit-makers since their ill-fortune has been floated away.

The Elephant Round-up Festival (November)
The most popular of Northeastern festivals with foreign tourists is the Surin Elephant Round-up which is held annually in November. The people of Surin have long been renowned for their skill in capturing and training wild elephants and the round-up. In the past wild elephants lived in the forest areas of nearby Cambodia. Unfortunately, these areas have been inaccessible due to civil war in Cambodia, and at the same time, the elephant population is markedly decreasing thus the elephant catchers must now make a living by taking their charges around the country giving shows.

The greatest event of the Surin round-up is a beautifully organised display of the talents and abilities of these superb beasts. The round-up first look place in 1960. It begins with a mass procession of all the elephants taking part, usually 120-150, ranging from calves only a few weeks old to the well-trained elephants with many decades of experience.

During the show, hundreds of the huge animals demonstrate their prowess at moving logs, playing soccer and winning a tug-of-war against human teams. Other demonstrations are designed to show not only the great strength of the elephants but also show they can be very intelligent, gentle and obedient. The show concludes with a mock battle illustrating what was formerly an important part of their duties.

The round-up in those days was an annual state ceremony presided over by the king himself. There were prayers and citations devised for the ceremony and for the taming of captured elephants afterwards. In recent times, the event has been revived and has become a major tourist attraction for the country, with the province of Surin as the main centre of activities. The event draws more and more visitors each year.

The event is the occasion for great fun in which the visitor is welcome to join. It also offers superb opportunities for learning about the dintinct folk culture of the Northeast.

The Death Railway Bridge (November)
The world-famous railway bridge over the River Kwai is in Kanchanaburi province about 130 kms west of Bangkok. The bridge is well-known all over the world because almost half a century ago about 16,000 Allied POWs died while building the "Death Railway" to Burma. The prisoners were forced by the Imperial Japanese Army in the World War II to build a strategic railway through the disease ridden jungle and treacherous rivers of the province.

The railway was built with the strategic of Burma and other Asian countries to the west. The construction began on September 16, 1942 and the materials for the bridge were said to have been brought form Java and assembled here. It was estimated that the construction would take five years to link Thailand and Burma by rail, but the Japanese army forced the POWs to complete the 415-km railway in just 16 months but the bridge was in use for only 20 months before the Allies bombed it in 1945.

Apart from the horrifying death toll of the POWs during the construnction, it is believed that about 100,000 coolies, many from Thailand, Burma, Malaysia and Indonesia also lost their lives.

After the end of World War II, the Allied forces placed the remains of the dead to rest in two war cemeteries near the site of the bridge. Every year during the first week of December, there is a light and sound presentation detailing the construction and the bombing of the historic railway bridge by the Allied forces. It is a popular event with Thai and foreign visitors. During the fair, a constant stream of visitors flow to Kanchanaburi.

River Kwai Bridge Week Kanchanaburi
November 23 - December 5,2001
Bringing back to life a piece of history during World War II, the presentation on the Bridge of the River Kwai is scheduled for 11 nights. Highlights include archaeological and historical exhibitions, traditional entertainment, stalls selling local products, rides on a vintage train, and a light-and-sound presentation at the bridge every night.

Illuminated Boat Procession (November)
The festival of the Illminated Boat Procession or "Lai Reua Fai" in Thai and "Lai Heua Fai" in local dialect is an ancient tradition of northeastern people. In the past, the festival was held in several provinces in this region, later only some provinces still proserve this tradition especially Nakhon Phanom Province where the annual event draws visitions from different directions. It has end of Buddhist Lent.

Originally, the boats were made of banana logs or bamboo but modern versions can be made of wood or synthetic materails. A boat's length was about 8 to 10 meters. Inside the boat, there were sweets, steamed-sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves (Khao Tom Mud) and other offerings while the outside of the boat was decorated with flowers, joss-sticky, candles and lamps. At night the fire boats were launched on the Mekong River and illuminated in a spectacular display.

The festival of the Illuminated Boat Procession takes place at the end of the Buddhist Rains Retreat or Ork Phansa (usually some time during October). On this occasion, residents of several villages will jointly observe Ork Phansa by launching intricatedly decorated little boats on the Mekong River when the night falls. Boat racing and a wax castle procession are also included in the festival. The event was said to have carried down from several generations as a means to worship Lord Buddha who, according to Buddhist legend, returned to earth after completing his 3-month mission in heaven.

Meanwhile, the ceremony of launching fire boats will usually be performed in the evening before the sunset. Buddhist monks will be invited to chant, give precepts and deliver a sermon. However, the participants must bring joss-sticks and candles to take part in a religious rite. As soon as the sun's rays disappear, the boats will be lit and launched on the Mekong River to worship Lord Buddha.

At this time, in the middle of the Mekong River, light in various shapes from the floating boats can be seen from a long distance and this is considered as a significant symbol to uphold Buddhism. The event brings about happiness to all Buddhists while foreign visitors will enjoy watching a marvelous illuminated display.

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