Thailand Festival September To November

• Posted by Steve Newton June 12, 2013 - Filed in Other - #Thailand Accommodation  #Bangkok Hotels  #Accommodation Bangkok  - 602 views

  If you see any pamphlets or information at your Thailand accommodation about Thailand Festivals, it is worth a look to see what is on and when. Below are some festivals that are on during September and November.
  
  Boat Races
  
  In Bangkok, these spectacular boat races are held on the Chao Phrya River near the Rama IX Bridge. The swan-neck boats may be inspected in various wats near the river and some of the oldest are now in the National Museum. In the north-east of the country, international boat races take place between Thailand and Laos. This is the time when the rivers are full but not dangerous.
  
  NarathiWat (Last week of September)
  
  At the very opposite end of the country, in one of the southernmost towns, there is a week of festivities in which both ethnic Thais and ethnic Thai-Malays participate in a fair which includes boar races, bird-singing contests, handicrafts, and southern dance and music. The king and queen usually attend.
  
  Vegetarian Festival
  
  During nine days in Phuket and surrounding areas, Chinese-Thais may eat occasional vegetarian meals or go the whole nine days vegetarian. Much merit-making in the Chinese temples. At the end of the vegetarian period, many fortune-tellers and spirit mediums will demonstrate their skills by piercing the skin and walking on burning coals.
  
  Kathin
  
  A time for making merit after ‘ockphansa’ (the end of Buddhist Lent). Many Thais group together to hire buses or other vehicles to go to a WatLar from their homes, where they make merit by distributing robes and other needs to monks. This is followed by a string of marriages and marriage leasts.
  
  Chulalongkorn Day (23 October)
  
  Public holiday in commemoration of King Chulalongkorn, the great reformer, who is now the subject of a cult centred around his statue on RatchadamnoenNok.
  
  November (LoiKhatong)
  
  One of Thailand's most beautiful and peaceful festivals. This is of Indian origin. On the full-moon night, Rhatong (lotus flower-shaped boats made of bananas (ems or polystyrene) carry burning incense, candles and a few small coins, together with the wishes of the loy (launcher) down to the sea, or as far as they can get before being up ended by some small boy who pockets the coins

   

  As some small boys are paid to swim out and loy a khatong in a river current, their friends are busily emptying the contents intended for the river goddess. Nobody minds.