Events
The most obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water. People roam the streets with containers of water or water guns, or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. This, however, was not always the main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends and neighbors.
Besides the throwing of water, people celebrating Songkran may also go to a wat (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They may also cleanse Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance (Thai: น้ำอบไทย) over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mai, the Buddha images from all of the city's important monasteries are paraded through the streets so that people can toss water at them, ritually 'bathing' the images, as they pass by on ornately decorated floats. In northern Thailand, people may carry handfuls of sand to their neighborhood monastery in order to recompense the dirt that they have carried away on their feet during the rest of the year. The sand is then sculpted into stupa-shaped piles and decorated with colorful flags.
Some people make New Year resolutions - to refrain from bad behavior, or to do good things.
Songkran is a time for cleaning and renewal. Besides washing household Buddha images, many Thais also take this opportunity to give their home a thorough cleaning. The throwing of water originated as a way to pay respect to people, by capturing the water after it had been poured over the Buddhas for cleansing and then using this "blessed" water to give good fortune to elders and family by gently pouring it on the shoulder. Among young people the holiday evolved to include dousing strangers with water to relieve the heat, since April is the hottest month in Thailand (temperatures can rise to over 100°F or 40°C on some days). This has further evolved into water fights and splashing water over people riding in vehicles.
Nowadays, the emphasis is on fun and water-throwing rather than on the festival's spiritual and religious aspects, which sometimes prompts complaints from traditionalists. In recent years there have been calls to moderate the festival to lessen the many alcohol-related road accidents as well as injuries attributed to extreme behavior such as water being thrown in the faces of traveling motorcyclists.
The water is meant as a symbol of washing all of the bad away and is sometimes filled with fragrant herbs.
Songkran is also celebrated in many places with a paegant in which young women demonstrate their beauty and unique talents, as judged by the audience. The level of financial support usually determines the winner, since, to show your support you must purchase necklaces which you place on your chosen girl.
Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.
The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.
The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.
The presence of the ancestors is acknowledged on New Year's Eve with a dinner arranged for them at the family banquet table. The spirits of the ancestors, together with the living, celebrate the onset of the New Year as one great community. The communal feast called "surrounding the stove" or weilu. It symbolizes family unity and honors the past and present generations.
Loy Krathong is held on the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar. In the western calendar this usually falls in November.
"Loi" means "to float". "Krathong" is a raft about a handspan in diameter traditionally made from a section of banana tree trunk (although modern-day versions use specially made bread 'flowers' and may use styrofoam), decorated with elaborately-folded banana leaves, flowers, candles, incense sticks etc. During the night of the full moon, many people will release a small raft like this on a river. Governmental offices, corporations and other organizations also build much bigger and more elaborate rafts, and these are often judged in contests. In addition, fireworks and beauty contests take place during the festival.
The festival probably originated in India as a Hindu festival similar to deepavali as thanksgiving to the deity of the Ganges with floating lanterns for giving life throughout the year. According to the writings of H.M. King Rama IV in 1863, the originally Brahmanical festival was adapted by Buddhists in Thailand as a ceremony to honour the original Buddha, Siddhartha Guatama. Apart from venerating the Buddha with light (the candle on the raft), the act of floating away the candle raft is symbolic of letting go of all one's grudges, anger and defilements, so that one can start life afresh on a better foot. People will also cut their fingernails and hair and add them to the raft as a symbol of letting go of the bad parts of oneself. Many Thai believe that floating a krathong will create good luck, and they do it to honor and thank the Goddess of Water, PHRA MAE KHONGKHA (พระแม่คงคา).
The beauty contests that accompany the festival are known as "Noppamas Queen Contests". According to legend, Noppamas was a consort of the Sukhothai King Loethai (14th century) and she was the first to float decorated krathongs. The Loi Krathong festival is also associated with the start of vegetable carving.
The Thai tradition of Loy Kratong started off in Sukhothai, but is now celebrated throughout Thailand, with the festivities in Chiang mai and Ayutthaya being particularly well known.
In Chiang mai Loi Kratong is also known as "Yi Peng". Every year thousands of people assemble to float the banana-leaf krathong onto the waterways of the city, honouring the Goddess of Water. A multitude of Lanna-style sky lantern (khom fai) are also launched into the air where they resemble large flocks of giant fluorescent jellyfish gracefully floating by through the skies. These are believed to help rid the locals of troubles and are also taken to decorate houses and streets.
Kelantan also has the same celebration, especially in the Tumpat area. The ministry in charge of tourism in Malaysia recognises it as an attraction for tourist. Many people visit the celebration each year.
Flowers festival in Chiang Mai
If someone asks me about winter in Chiang Mai, one of the very first things that flash up on my mind is the vividly-colored scene of the Chiang Mai Flower Festival – the time when all the roads surrounding the old city’s moat are awash with colorful arrays of floral fantasy. Not only because it is usually held annually in the nice and cool month of February, this fantastic festival takes place during the time of the year when all flowers in the city – the gentle purplish orchids, sexy red roses and lovely yellow Daoruang – flaunt their beauty in full blooms.
In 2009, the 33rd Chiang Mai Flower Festival will be held on 6th-8th February at Suan Buak Hart City Park. This natural decoration perfectly fits the scenic settings of Chiang Mai city and creates such a delightful sight – not to mention the laid-back atmosphere with cool and breezy ambience. The most impressive highlight that I would like to recommend is the Flower Parade, accompanied by dozens of flower floats and flower beds tastefully adorned in Buddhist theme. Traditional Thai dancers in elegant Thai costumes as well as hill tribe performers donned in unique tribal garments never fail to keep spectators entertained.
Colorful Flower Carriage with a candidate for Miss Flower Festival
The floral procession will set forth in the morning at Naowarat Bridge and then move slowly along the street – making several stops for performances and shows – down to the City Park (Date to be announced). You will also see many beautiful young Thai ladies perching atop each parade carriage. These gorgeous ladies are candidates of the Flower Festival Beauty Pageant which will be staged in the evening at the Park. Also on exhibit are various types of award-winning flowers and decorative plants.
Chiang Mai Flower Festival is one of the most famous events and is a total must see to all tourists headed to Chiang Mai. The event has drawn millions of tourist to the city aptly dubbed ‘The Rose of Northern Thailand’. There is nothing to dislike about the Chiang Mai Flower Festival.
- The Thailand enters the " Buddhist Fast "-
Buddhism is the religion of over 90% of the country of Thailand and has broad impact on the lives of Thai people all over the country. Most holidays in Thailand mark important days for the Buddhist religion, including the upcoming Buddhist Lent Day on 27 July, 2010. Buddhist Lent is mainly practiced by ordained monks and on July 27, the beginning of lent, the Candle Festival is celebrated by all Thai people. The Candle Festival is celebrated country-wide, but the most well recognized celebrations are in Ubon Rachathani province in northeastern Thailand (Isaan).
According to history, Buddhist Lent Day began as a result of villagers complaining to the Lord Buddha. They said that a group of determined monks making merit for Buddhism had walked through their wet rice fields. The rice fields were thriving and their actions ruined the crop. As a result, the story is that the Lord Buddha set a rule for all monks to practice making merit while confined to the temples. Today Buddhist Lent requires all monks to remain confined to their temples or place of residence for a period of 3 months during the rainy season, beginning the first day of the eighth waning moon.
Thai people are very appreciative of the commitment to Buddhist Lent and are privileged to offer all necessary things such as towels, dry foodstuffs, blankets, etc. This offering includes candles and so we see the origin of the celebrated Candle Festival. In past times there was no electricity into many temples and the candle has become an important symbolic influence in various ceremonies and in daily use. Also, as the candle signifies wisdom as light; during the Candle Festival people demonstrate their beliefs by offering large and often lavishly decorated candles to the monks.
On the day before Buddhist Lent day, groups of people will gather with their elaborately decorate candles and put them on parade. The rich, luxuriously sculpted patterns on the beautiful candles portray the willpower, unity, and Buddhist beliefs of that community. The candle parade procession will contain young and old, in their best dress. In Ubon Ratchathani there will be many groups of local Isaan performances, musicians and dancers. There is also a beauty contest to select Miss Candle (the most beautiful lady of that community).
The 12 august is Mother’s Day in Thailand, the date fixed to coincide with the Queen’s birthday. Queen Sirikit is considered to be the mother of the nation just as the king is seen as the father of the nation. Queen Sirikit is 75-years-old and there have been nationwide events to mark the day with candle-lighting ceremonies and firework displays. As the date falls on a Sunday this year, tomorrow (Monday 13th) is a public holiday here.
