FESTIVALS

Some famous festivals are only organised in "ISAN" area. For example:

Elephant round-up in Surin in November

Each year, around 200 to 300 elephants gather in Surin.

Elephants round-up in Surin

Surin elephant round-up ( Fly there with Google Earth ) is the biggest elephant gathering in Thailand. A few centuries ago elephants were used as war weapons. So during this festival, tourists can see Siamese war simulations and also elephant work demonstrations in the forest.

	Each year, around 200 to 300 elephants gather in Surin.
Elephants round-up in Surin

Bun Bang Fai in all Yasothon in May-June

	According to traditional belief, the villages gather to organise the "BUN BANG FAI" (ประเพณีบุญบั้งไฟ) rocket festival. During this festival, big rockets are launched into the sky. The highest win. This is a symbolic call to the rain god in order to have bountiful crops. Despite this feast is an animist feast, monks often participate by making the powder for the rockets. It rockets fails, there is no respect for monks. Villagers throw them in a muddy paddy field. Accidents happened when the rocket did not succeed to take off. Fly there with Google Earth
Bun Bang Fai

According to traditional belief, the villages gather to organise the "BUN BANG FAI" (ประเพณีบุญบั้งไฟ) rocket festival. During this festival, big rockets are launched into the sky. The highest win. This is a symbolic call to the rain god in order to have bountiful crops. Despite this feast is an animist feast, monks often participate by making the powder for the rockets. It rockets fails, there is no respect for monks. Villagers throw them in a muddy paddy field. Accidents happened when the rocket did not succeed to take off.

Fly there with Google Earth

Bun Bang Fai

In 1999 a tragedy happened during the "BUN BANG FAI" feast in Yasothon. Five spectators were killed when a large home-made rocket launched during the "BUN BANG FAI" Festival in Yasothon exploded. The colourful missile, estimated to weigh 120 kg, blew up seconds after it left the launch site in a downtown park. Debris showered down on the thousands of people who had gathered to watch the annual event. Five people were killed on the spot and 11 others suffered injuries.

Phi Ta Khon in Loei district in June

Phi Ta Khon
	A long time ago, in a previous life, when Lord Buddha was a king, he travelled outside his kingdom during several years. As he didn't come back, everybody thought he was dead. When he finally came back, everybody was so happy that they made a loudly exclamation to welcome the King's return. They made so much noise that the dead woke up and went gathering to the feast.

This "Phi Ta Khon" festival (ผีตาโขน) ( Fly there with Google Earth ) is in fact a religious feast. It is divided into three days. First day people wear big fearful masks and clothes then frighten and make tricks to people. On second day it is the same but they are going in the city centre. Third day, people listen to sermons said by monks.

Bang Fai Phajanak in Nong Khai district just after the end of the rain retreat season.

	This festival has inspired a famous Thai movie Mekhong full moon party (๑๕ ค่ำ เดือน ๑๑). Every year more than 100,000 people gather by the Mekong River in Northeast area on November Full Moon. After sunset, mysterious fireballs rise up from the river and disappear into the sky. This movie looks into the various theories behind the phenomenon. Some locals still adhere to the traditional myth of the dragon, Great Naga, making a sacred offering to Buddha. One doctor think that the fireballs are natural; another wants to prove the phenomenon a hoax. The movie tells the story of an abbot of a temple, who is depicted as responsible for the fireballs. A boy, who is helping the abbot, becomes reluctant to continue as he feels the media will eventually expose the practise. The abbot wishes to continue as he feels it perpetuates the faith of the local people. The morality is "believe in what you do / do what you believe". The viewpoint is that both supernatural and scientific beliefs can exist side by side. This movie has received an award at the Bangok International film festival in 2003. Support our website by buying this movie through eThaiCD
Mekhong full moon party

This festival has inspired a famous Thai movie Mekhong full moon party (๑๕ ค่ำ เดือน ๑๑). Every year more than 100,000 people gather by the Mekong River in Northeast area on November Full Moon. After sunset, mysterious fireballs rise up from the river and disappear into the sky. This movie looks into the various theories behind the phenomenon. Some locals still adhere to the traditional myth of the dragon, Great Naga, making a sacred offering to Buddha. One doctor think that the fireballs are natural; another wants to prove the phenomenon a hoax. The movie tells the story of an abbot of a temple, who is depicted as responsible for the fireballs. A boy, who is helping the abbot, becomes reluctant to continue as he feels the media will eventually expose the practise. The abbot wishes to continue as he feels it perpetuates the faith of the local people. The morality is "believe in what you do / do what you believe". The viewpoint is that both supernatural and scientific beliefs can exist side by side. This movie has received an award at the Bangok International film festival in 2003.

Support our website by buying this movie through eThaiCD

Mekhong full moon party

This "Bang Fai Phajanak" festival (ประเพณีบั้งไฟพยานาค) ( Fly there with Google Earth ) is like the "BUN BANG FAI" feast in Yasothon. But the rockets fly from under the Mekong river instead of the soil.

The Rain Retreat Candle Wax procession in Ubon Ratchatani in July.

Rain Retreat Candle Wax procession
	"HAE TIAN KHAO PHANSA" festival (แห่เทียนเข้าพรรษา) happens in many cities in Isan region but the most beautiful festival is located in Ubon Ratchatani. Fly there with Google Earth

Those wax candles are big enough to last three months for a rain retreat season. In 1999 a tragedy happened in Nakhon Pathom. They built the highest and biggest candles in the world. They collapsed and killed several people. That was the end of the Amazing Thailand search after World records.

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about Candle Wax procession

Phanom Rung Fair in Buriram in April
This feast takes place each year in the Khmer site of "PRASAT HIN PHANOM RUNG" ( Fly there with Google Earth ).
5000 years Bang Chiang Civilisation Celebrations Heritage Site near Udon Thani

Ban Chiang is an UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site ( Fly there with Google Earth ) .

Rain-making procession

Traditionally, Isan villages used a cat in their rain-making procession. The cat was carried about the village in a small cage, while the villagers made noise with musical instruments, to attract the attention of celestial gods. They would stimulate the cat, to make it yell until the celestial gods, unable to bear the sounds, would promise to grant the villagers any request, if only they would make it stop. Then the villagers would say "give us rain".

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