Loy Krathong 2011

Loy Krathong is without a doubt one of my all time favorite Thai holidays and like all Thai holidays it’s a time to spend with friends and loved ones. I had a great time last night wandering the streets and the beach taking pictures and joining in the festivities, although I was a bit surprised that there weren’t as many ladies dressed up this year. Even so there were plenty of smiles to be had and the ladyboys picked up the slack in a big way.

The Beach was packed from Walking Street down to Soi 8 and luckily with the tide out Mo and I found a nice secluded island out in the water and set our krathong’s adrift from there. Well, that’s quite enough of my rambling…enjoy the pics.

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Moon Cake Festival September 12, 2011

The Moon Cake Festival, also known as the Mid Autnm Festiva, is a very important Chinese festival that celebrates the yearly harvest and also one of few important Chinese festivals celebrated in Thailand every year due to Thailand’s high Thai-Chinese population. This year the Moon Cake Festival will be celebrated on September 12th.

The traditional center piece of the Mid Autumn Festival is the Moon Cakes in all their many delicious varieties. Most westerners aren’t familiar with moon cakes; commonly found in Chinese bakeries these sweet cakes are made in the shape of the moon and filled with sesame seeds, ground lotus seeds and duck eggs is served as a traditional Chung Chiu delicacy. Nobody actually knows when the custom of eating moon cake of celebrate the Moon Festival began, but one relief traces its origin to the 14th century. At the time, China was in revolt against the Mongols. Chu Yuen-chang, and his senior deputy, Liu Po-wen, discussed battle plan and developes a secret moon cake strategy to take a certain walled city held by the Mongol enemy. Liu dressed up as a Taoist priest and entered the besieged city bearing moon cake. He distributed these to the city’s populace. When the time for the year’s Chung Chiu festival arrived, people opened their cakes and found hidden messages advising them to coordinate their uprising with the troops outside. Thus, the emperor-to-be ingeniously took the city and his throne. Moon cakes of course, became even more famous.

True or not Moon Cakes have become a staple to the Mid Autumn Festival which is commonly referred to as the Moon Cake Festival. Some of the more popular moon cakes are the ones made with Durian, Lotus Seed paste, Black Sesame or my favorite Green Tea. No matter what your favorite Moon Cake might be or even if you have yet to sample one of these sweet treats it’s a sure bet that the best place to experience the Moon Cake Festival will be in Bangkok’s very own Chinatown.

Yaowarat is one of the oldest areas of Bangkok, originally settled long ago by Chinese traders it has become the center of Chinese tradition amid the bustling Thai city and one of Bangkok’s top attractions. During the important Chinese Festivals of the year, such as the Mid Autumn Festival, Chinatown comes alive with the sound of music, the sweet aroma of freshly cooked moon cakes and the vibrant and colorful dragon dancers winding through the small shop laden streets and alleyways.

If you are in Thailand then the best place to witness this delicious festival will be in Bangkok’s Chinatown but no matter where you are in the world there is a good chance that a Chinese bakery is close at hand, so, if you get a chance stop in and pick up a Moon Cake or two and experience the delicious tradition of the Moon Cake Festival for yourself.

For more information on upcoming Events and Festivals in Thailand please visit the Thailand Events Calender.

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Pattaya Chonburi Cultural Festival

Continuing on from yesterday’s post  I have to say, again, a big well done to Pattaya for putting on a very lovely festival full of great food, fun, crafts, cultural shows and great music on 4 stages throughout Beach Road. This was just one of many events scheduled for the lead up to the King’s birthday in December. There was a large section of Beach road dedicated to the king with paintings and pictures of the King throughout his reign as well as an area where anyone could sign a book and leave well wishes for the King. It may not be much but I wished the king a wonderful day and signed my name along with others.

It was a beautiful weekend in Pattaya with the sun shining brightly and nothing but blue skies which made for a great festival setting.

The craftsmanship by the artists that were present was spectacular and it really made for a beautiful setting along Beach road, of course there was also plenty of food on hand and Thai treats that are hard to resist. I’m not sure when the next event is on Beach road but I have a feeling it won’t be too long before another festival is under way.

Pattaya Chonburi Cultural Festival Photo’s

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The Pattaya Chonburi Cultural Festival this weekend was so good it’s going to take 2 posts to show you all the beautiful sights and scrumptious food. Say what you will about Pattaya but it’s events like this that make Pattaya shine and show itself for what it can really be. I won’t bore you with too many words today…I’ll let the photos do the talking for me.

Pattaya Chonburi Cultural Festival

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Cultural Festival of Pattaya – Chonburi

July 22 -24

Heads up, Beach Road will once again be all abuzz this weekend with yet another festival promising food, music and fun. The Cultural Festival of Pattaya – Chonburi is just another in a long line of events honoring the King of Thailand leading up to his birthday in December.

This festival promises everything from delicious foods and funky finds to cultural shows and concerts. Featured will be OTOP ( One Tambon One Product )- products from the region as well as goods from China, Cambodia and Vietnam.

So if you are looking for some fun this weekend or just some great food, incredible shopping and relaxing to some good music or cultural shows then Pattaya is the place to be.

I’ll be going and I’ll make sure to taunt you with pictures of everything!

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Pattaya Food Fun Fest

The one thing I absolutely love about Pattaya is the fact that there is always something going on and this weekend is no different as Pattaya is hosting the Food Fun Fest along the full Beach road promenade. If you love food, especially Thai food and snacks, then this is the place to be this weekend.

After a month of living cheaply during my living like a Thai experiment I was ready for a food fun fest …and believe me it didn’t disappoint. Not only will you find such classic Thai dishes such as curries and soups but the full array of fried foods, smoked meats and Thai treats. Not only is the food unbelievably delicious but it’s cheap as chips as well…good for the wallet not for the waistline.

While food is the major attraction of the Pattaya Food Fun Fest there is also plenty of shopping to be done with merchants selling every kind of product under the sun. Hand painted silk scarves, Hand carved wood, flowers, clothes, knives, guns, bongs and everything else under the sun. Where else but in Thailand can you find a merchant selling Orchids at 50 baht ( $1.70 ) a plant? Of course if you prefer the plastic plants there are plenty of those around as well, I don’t understand the plastic flowers myself as even someone with a black thumb like me can keep flowers alive in Thailand.

During the day the Beach road promenade is full of shoppers enjoying the bargains and catching some rays with a nice breeze coming off the bay. At night the promenade is jam packed and offers all manner of entertainment from DJ’s to live music all along Beach road, and for those of you that might need a drink have no fear as there are many makeshift bars all along the promenade. Just be careful crossing the street or you might end up like this guy.

If you are looking for a good time this weekend or just something to do then checkout the Pattaya Food Fun Fest as you won’t be disappointed and and neither will your wallet.  Why don’t I just let the pictures do the talking. Make sure to scroll to the bottom to see our sponsor for this post

Pattaya Food Fun Fest in Pictures

This post is brought to you by this guy because he is rockin his do like you could only wish to.

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Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival

The Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival will be taking place this year from May 11th to May 15th in the Yasothon Province.

The Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival was born of traditional beliefs of the Issan people and it has become one of the most celebrated of merit making ceremonies in Thailand. The annual  Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival has been going on for many generations in Issan and is one of the many merit making rituals to ensure that the seasonal rains fall at the appropriate time in the planting cycle. In this process, Buddhist merit-making traditions are also observed and reinforced.

The Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival, which is held over a period of three days, strengthens community spirit. The first day of the Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival is known as “Wan Sook Dib” and features lively processions as rocket teams transport the rockets in a procession and perform a ritual to pay homage to Chao Pu, the spirit of the city pillar. Each is escorted by a colorful dance troupe.

The second day is the rocket procession day. Modern-day rockets are mounted on vehicles or traditional carts to be drawn in the parade. The “Bang Fai” rockets come in different sizes. For example, the Bang Fai Kilo is packed with one kilogram of nitrate, while the Bang Fai Meun – 12 kilograms, and the Bang Fai Saen – 120 kilograms of nitrate. The rocket-making technicians play a vital role in deciding the right amount of nitrate to be mixed with the charcoal. With the wrong formula, a rocket could blow up prematurely before it is launched high into the sky. The rocket cylinders are usually made from the bottom half of the bamboo.

It is also a day for the ordination of novices. Festive celebrations follow merit-making rituals. Dance, music, song and revelry are integral elements of the processions as the parade of beautifully decorated rockets wind their way through the village on their way to the temple offering an opportunity for the residents and visitors to admire the impressive works of art.

The rockets are finally launched on the third day in which various rocket contests are held. With the launch of the rockets, predictions are made with regard to the fortunes of the coming harvest. The Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival in Yasothon Province is spectacular and provides a tremendous opportunity to experience Isan-style festive fun.

The Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival stems from the belief that when this merit-making ceremony is held, gods and spirits will reciprocate with seasonal rain and a bountiful harvest.

Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival Highlights

• Bun Bang Fai rocket contests
• Processions and parades
  
• Cheerleading contests
  
• Miss Bun Bang Fai beauty contest
• Fun fair
• Stage drama
• Open-air theatre
• Folk music
• Mor Lam folk performance
• And other folk entertainment

For more information on the Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival you can contact the local Tourism Authority of Thailand office listed below.

Contact information:

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani Office

Areas of Responsibility: Ubon Ratchathani, Amnat Charoen, Yasothon

Tel: +66 (0) 4524 3770

Fax: +66 (0) 4524 3771

E-mail: tatubon@tat.or.th

If you are looking for more fun events such as the Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival or for more information on upcoming Festivals and Events in Thailand, please have a look at the Thailand Calender of Events.

Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival 2010 Video

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Pattaya Music Festival 2011

The Pattaya Music Festival came to a close last night with yet another great evening of music and tons of great Thai food. Beach road was packed with thousands of Thai’s and tourists alike enjoying all the different styles of music from Rock to jazz and disco. Walking through the dense crowds last night I got the feeling that this years Pattaya Music Festival was sure to beat the numbers for last years event.

The Pattaya Music Festival was really an assault on all the senses from the sights and sounds to the smells of delicious food at every turn, it was hard to decide what to do next. Below are some pictures and a bunch of videos from the various stages on closing night of the Pattaya Music Festival.

Pattaya Music Festival Pictures & Video

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Chinese New Year: The Year of the Rabbit

Red lanterns are hanging throughout Pattaya and the Thai’s are stoking their grills and makeshift flower pots burning gifts of red envelopes, decorated golden boxes and trinkets to send to their departed loved ones in the after life. Dragon dances and fireworks are also on the menu for the next few days which will always make for some fun.

This Chinese New Year is the year of the Golden Rabbit which symbolizes luck.

According to Chinese tradition, the Rabbit brings a year in which you can catch your breath and calm your nerves.  It is a time for negotiation.  Don’t try to force issues, because if you do you will ultimately fail.  To gain the greatest benefits from this time, focus on home, family, security, diplomacy, and your relationships with women and children.   Make it a goal to create a safe, peaceful lifestyle, so you will be able to calmly deal with any problem that may arise.

This sounds Ideal to me, a laid back year taking stock of oneself and looking to the future. Just as Cat, from Women Learning Thai, posted in China town’s Bunnyless Chinese New Year, I haven’t seen many golden rabbits or any other kind of rabbits about town this Chinese New Year except for this wabbit at Central Festival.

The rabbit is also Chinese symbol of the moon with the peacock being the symbol of the sun. Together they represent the start of the day and night while also representing the yin and yang of life. Chinese proverbs say that anyone asking for wishes to be fulfilled are certain to get what they want, and in the Year of the Rabbit, the wish-granting aspect of the Sun and the Moon combined is multiplied.

I’ll be in Pattaya for the beginning of Chinese New Year and then heading out tomorrow to Chiang Mai to enjoy the beautiful Chiang Mai Flower Festival and the tail end of Chinese New Year celebrations. Hopefully I’ll get a lot of great pictures and have a few good stories to tell. But, before I go it would be rude not to post a few pictures and a Dragon dance video to help ring in the Chinese New Year.

Chok Dee

Chinese New Year in Pictures

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Bo Sang Umbrella Festival 2011

One of the more unique and popular festivals in Thailand is the Bo Sang Umbrella Festival which will be taking place next weekend in Bo Sang on January 21st through January 23rd. Near Chiang Mai, Bo Sang has carved out it’s own unique identity due to the wonderful craftsmanship of it’s resident artisans. Particularly Bo Sang is known for it’s beautifully painted parasols hand made from silk and mulberry paper. The parasols are hand made then hand painted in beautiful floral motifs with amazingly vivid colors.

The Bo Sang Umbrella festival is a time when all merchants and residents decorate their houses and shops with the brightly decorated umbrellas and traditional hand painted lanterns transforming the village back in time to the traditional Lana Thai style.

In addition to all the beautiful parasols on display and for sale at the Bo Sang Umbrella Festival there will be all kinds of other handicrafts for sale as well as exhibits, cultural shows, contests, a parade and the Miss Bo Sang Umbrella Festival Beauty Pageant. This is definitely one of the more colorful Thai festivals of the year and it definitely rivals neighboring Chiang Mai’s annual Flower Festival.

As the name suggests, the umbrella’s take the main stage at the Bo Sang Umbrella Festival and tourists come to Bo Sang from around the world to take part in the festival and buy these special hand crafted items. This truly is a beautiful Thai festival and one not to be missed!

For more information on teh Bo Sang Umbrella Festival you can contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand below. And for more information on upcoming Thailand events and festivals you can check out the Thailand Calender of Events.

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chiang Mai Office
Tel: +66 (0) 5324 8604, (0) 5324 8607
Fax: +66 (0) 5324 8605
E-mail: tatchmai@tat.or.th

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