The Pattaya international music festival will be happening once again from March 19th to the 21st. Pattaya City Hall in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thailand’s biggest music companies are hoping to lighten the mood a little and give tourists and residents alike a reason to smile, dance and have a blast over a long weekend of great music.

This is definitely the event of the year for music lovers, no matter what your taste in music you are sure to find sounds pleasing to your ear with 6 large sound stages and all manner of smaller stages set up along beach road from soi 4 all the way up to Bali Hai Pier. Local artists as well as a host of international acts will be taking to the various stages playing everything from rock and pop to classical, hip hop, jazz, R&B and reggae.

The 3 main stages will be at Bali Hai Pier, Central Festival Pattaya and at the top of Pattaya Soi 4. Music styles will rotate between the three main stage and the smaller stages set up along beach road will be dedicated to every type of music imaginable.On Friday, visitors can enjoy Pop songs at the Bali Hai, Rock at central Pattaya and easy listening music at Soi 4.  On Saturday, Pop and Rock will be performed at the Bali Hai stage, Hip-Hop at central Pattaya, and Jazz at Soi 4, while on Sunday, visitors can enjoy Rock at Bali Hai, Country Western music at central Pattaya, and Pop Rock at Soi 4.

The tourism Authority of Thailand is sponsoring the stages at Bali Hai Pier and Soi 4 as part of their nationwide campaign Amazing Thailand Amazing Value and Pattaya City Hall will be sponsoring the stage at Central Festival Plaza. As well as all the great music happening there will also be all manner of food and crafts on offer and a special music zone set up for trance and house music on Beach road opposite soi 12 that will be running until 2am every night.

This is one of the few times Beach road is closed to traffic and it is guaranteed to be the party of the year.Click the map below to be taken to an interactive map of the festival that includes a summary of scheduled acts and times.

More information on artists, times and stage schedules can be found at PattayaMusicFest.com. As always you can find out more about upcoming events and festivals in Thailand by checking out the Thailand Events Calender.

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Thailand’s 11th annual international kite festival will be held March 13th-14th this year at Mrigadayavan Palace , Naresuan Camp , Amphoe Cha-am , .  Festivities will be held from 9am to 9pm each day.

Kite flying has a long and distinguished reputation in Thailand, since the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods among the royalty as well as ordinary people. However, the Royal Household’s law forbade that no one could fly a kite over the palace; otherwise, punishment by law would be enforced. Although I can’t find a reference to the specified punishment I would bet at the very least you would lose your kite and kite flying privileges for a while.

The Chula-Pakpao kites were created in the Ayutthaya period and the competition had been held until the Rattanakhosin period. King Rama ll was fond of Chula kite fighting with the Pakpao kite of his brother. Westerners compared the Chula kite as a male and Pakpao kite as a female, which was similar to the Thai social value in that period that males dominated female. Kite flying was also the most popular sport in king Rama IV, kite flying at Sanam Luang inside the Dusit Palace, and had a kite flying competition held at Dusit Palace in 1856, where he presided over himself. In the reign of King Rama VI, kite flying was restored as a sport and Phraya Phirom PhaKdi organized a kite flying competition at Sanam Luang. After World war II, the Siam Sport Club held an annual kite flying competition.

The tourism authority of Thailand held the first international kite festival in 1989 and has held the festival every year since then, although in many different arenas from Pattaya to this years event in Phetchaburi province at the Mrigadayavan Palace. The site this year was chosen due to it’s capacity to accommodate many tourists and competitors.

Among the many colorful and beautiful kites being flown the festival will also consist of the many folowing events.

4 regions Thai Kite Flying Shows

International Kite Flying Show

International Night Flying Show

Demonstration and exhibition of Thai Kites

Demonstration of the Chula- Pakpao Kite Fighting

Competition and demonstration of Stunt Kite

Fast kite Flying Contest

Fighting Kite Show

Flat Kite Contest

Invention of creative kites

Kite stall Contest

Kite street market and clinic

Art for children

As well as kite events there will also be a parachute show, a radio controlled airplane show and competition, tours through Mrigadayavan Palace and an energy saving car rally. As with any Thai festival there will be plenty of food and handicraft booths everywhere to keep you occupied as well. This annual event is really one not to be missed and definitely one of the more colorful events of the year.

Below is the official Tourism Authority video showing the kite festival through the years which should give you an idea of the fun in store for you. And for more information on upcoming events in Thailand please check out the Thailand Events Calender.

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Happy Chinese New Year and Valentines day to everyone in Thailand and throughout Asia. This year the two events coincide so there will be all kind of festivities all weekend long.

2010 is the year of the tiger and will remain so until February 2cnd 2011. The Tiger is the third sign in the Chinese Zodiac cycle, and it is a sign of bravery. This courageous and fiery fighter is admired by the ancient Chinese as the sign that keeps away the three main tragedies of a household. These are fire, thieves and ghosts.

Tigers are physically powerful, gracious, independent and brave, they are extremely bold animals. They are friendly and loving but can also selfish and short tempered. Tigers seek attention and power; frequently they are envious in a relation. Tigers live dangerously which often leads to trouble. They are intolerant, take risks and are always searching for excitement. Tigers are also instilled with a good dose of courage.

The Tiger has an overpowering attraction and is very kind and always takes on the character as protector. The Tiger flourishes by power and attention and takes advantage of all circumstances it gets itself into. The Tiger is a natural leader and loves to be the centre of attention. As a rebel it goes up against authority and speaks out about wrongs in society, and willingly puts up objections. Even if you don’t agree with the beliefs of the tiger you admire his way to protest.

Just as how their counterparts in the jungle are impulsive, so too are individuals born in the Chinese Year of the Tiger. When people think of tigers, it is their vigor and power that comes to mind first. But it has also been noted that tigers are known to share and are unselfish animals. The reason people admire the tiger is due to the fact that they are ferocious and domineering on the outside, but they are just as noble and distinguished on the inside. These are the same personality attributes that persons will have who are born in the Year of the Tiger.

People that are born in the Year of the Tiger are generally well liked because of their charismatic personalities. Often, failing at a given duty or being unproductive in his personal or professional life can cause a Tiger to experience a deep sense of depression.A Tiger is always at their happiest when they endeavor to climb the ladder of success. Attaining the top spot is his foremost purpose; being in a position of power is her ultimate goal. They are quick learners, need to be challenged and often prefer to work alone. Some Tigers tend to change careers more frequently because they get bored quite easily. They are natural born leaders and perform at their best if working towards positions of power and influence. So once there is no further room for progression, they will often move on to something else.

Anyone that is born in the Year of the Tiger is usually straightforward and outgoing by nature. They will never give up no matter how aggravated they may become. But, they are also full of suspicion and at times will take hasty action. Never lose sight of the fact that Tigers are smart and instinctive.

People born in the Year of the Tiger always take pride in being different from others, and normally demonstrate their originality best in their homes. Their homes are typically filled with exotic possessions. It is no surprise that one of the Tiger’s favorite gemstones is the cat’s eye, but tigers also love the sparkle of rubies and diamonds. They like to spend money, and also to share it. They can be very impulsive spenders because they know they can at all times make more.

The Year of the Tiger is the third year in the cycle of “Heavenly Branches”. Customarily, it is called “Yin”. Those born in the Year of the Tiger are compatible with the horse, dog, and dragons. The year 2010 is another Year of the Tiger. It is the ji-chou year. Jji is the sixth of the Ten Celestial Stems and yin is the third of the Twelve Terrestrial Branches and marks the Year of the Tiger.

There will be many events happening across Thailand today and all weekend long. If you are in Pattaya check out the festivities at Bali Hai Pier and if you are in Bangkok then there is no other place to be than Chinatown.

Everyone have a safe and happy New Year and remember to make your significant other feel special this Valentines day!

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The Full moon party on Koh Phangan, Thailand has become the quintessential right of passage for many travelers to Thailand. Depending on who you talk to the full moon parties were started between 1987 and 1992 by a handful of backpackers who decided that the best place in the world to witness the full moon was along the crescent shaped beach at Haad Rin on Koh Phangan island. They began to organize small parties among friends at each full moon and over time word spread and the parties became much bigger.

Since it’s auspicious beginnings the full moon parties have grown so much in popularity that it’s not unusual to see between 20-30 thousand people attending any given full moon party and that number grows dramatically during the New Years Eve full moon party. What once began as a small get together with maybe some acoustic guitars or a boom box now comprises multiple venues with world class DJ’s and multiple sound systems.

In recent years the full moon parties have become synonymous with excess and known for rampant drug abuse as well as a huge upswing in the crime rate. There have been quite a few deaths and rapes associated with the event which is billed as the ultimate party experience.

If you plan on attending one of the full moon parties you might want to keep a few things in mind:

• While there is a drug culture related to the full moon parties, drugs are illegal in Thailand and if caught you will face significant fines, jail time and or deportation and blacklisting from the country.
• Plan ahead and book accommodations early. With over 20,000 people attending each party you want to make sure you have a place to stay.
• If you want to party but don’t want to deal with the noise all night long book a hotel out of town.
• If you want to leave the island the day after the party book your boat in advance as they fill up quickly.
• Police enforcement is stepped up during the party and while they are there for your protection they are also there to make arrests if you get out of hand.

With that in mind remember to look out for your own safety and while everyone loves to party it up doing so to excess could have very real implications. Listed below are the dates for the 2010 full moon parties. Keep in mind there is no full moon in February so there will be 2 parties in March.

Full Moon Schedule 2010

Saturday January 30, 2010

Monday March 01, 2010

Tuesday March 30, 2010

Wednesday April 28, 2010

Saturday May 29, 2010

Saturday June 26, 2010

Wednesday July 28, 2010

Wednesday August 25, 2010

Thursday September 23, 2010

Saturday October 23, 2010

Sunday November 21, 2010

Tuesday December 21, 2010

Saturday December 25, 2010

Friday December 31, 2010

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October 1st through October 4th will see yet another festival celebrating the end of Buddhist lent ( Ok Phansa ), The Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival.

The ancient tradition passed down through the ages, originated with the people of Sakon Nakhon carving elaborate trees from poles made of bees wax that they would take to the temple as an offering to make merit. This tradition has grown over the years from ornate trees to elaborate carvings of Buddhist temples and shrines completely made from bees wax.

According to Buddhist religion upon death a person passes on to another life, the quality of that next life is determined by meritorious acts and or good deeds performed in this life. If the person practices the principles of Buddhism and engages in acts of devotion in their life they will gain merit and that merit will accumulate and lead to higher spiritual enlightenment in subsequent lives where they will live in the upper tiers of heaven. If that person doesn’t gain merit then they will be reborn to a life that is worse than their present life.

The wax castles symbolize the ideal spiritual life that one aspires to in the next life. The wax castle festival falls into the Buddhist precept of merit as communal merit making. Many who are blessed with merit coming together for the greater good of the community. This is a special time of the year for families to get together and reunite in merit making activities. The family and community come together with the monks in an expression of Buddhist devotion that strengthens and bonds the family and community with the temple.

This is truly another Thai festival that must be seen. It’s four days of non stop activities includes the Royal boat parade, a light and sound show, a large community dinner and closing  with  the Wax Castle Parade. You can see videos below of the Wax Castle Parade last year.

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I first found out about this annual festival held in Nakhon Phanom last year through a series of cryptic e-mails my girlfriend had sent with pictures of beautiful illuminated boats attached. I say cryptic but the reality of the situation was that she couldn’t explain about the festival in English but she hoped I could figure it out.

It took a while but I finally solved the puzzle and the reward was the Illuminated Boat Procession Festival.  The Festival,  as well as other festivals in the region,  marks the end of Buddhist Lent. The Thai’s believe that Buddha spent the last three months, or Buddhist lent,  in heaven preaching to his mother.The illuminated boat festival is the Thai way of paying homage to Buddha’s return.

The once ancient festival originally included very small boats made of banana tree trunks or bamboo that were illuminated with candles and lanterns and decorated with many lit joss sticks before they were launched into the Mekong. Today the boats are much more extravagant and the ancient rite has turned into a competition as well.

Now every year invitations are sent out to the various temples, organizations and citizens to take part in the beautiful competition. This year the illuminated boat festival,  which takes place in Nakhon Phanom,  begins on September 29th and will go through October 15th with many boats and people taking part. As well as the beautifully illuminated boats the festival also includes nightly fireworks.

The Mekong at night as seen from Nakhon Phanom is a beautiful sight in and of itself,  the illuminated boat festival will only make it more spectacular and definitely a must see.

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One of the more beautiful elements of Thai temples and spiritual places is that of the Naga. Naga is a Sanskrit and Pali word for a diety that takes the form of the great snake, often a king cobra.

Ancient stories tell of the Naga’s birth as the cousin of the great Garuda.  A very powerful sage named Kasyapa had two wives that both wanted children. Kadru, his first wife, wanted many children while his second wife Vinata only wanted a few children but she wanted them to be powerful. As legend has it they both were granted their wish. Kadru laid 1000 eggs that later hatched into snakes while Vinata had but two children, the sun god Surya and a large bird like creature named Garuda.

After a foolish bet made by Vinata with her sister was lost she became the slave of Kadru as did her son Garuda. Garuda was required to do the bidding of the snakes until one day when he asked what it would take to release him from this bond. The snakes required Garuda to bring them the elixir of life called Amrita which was guarded by the gods. Garuda stole the elixir and brought it to the snakes as required but prevented them from drinking it and becoming immortal. Released from his bonds Garuda forever regarded the snakes as enemies.

In Buddhist lore Naga can have one head or many heads and some have magical powers that can help them take the shape of humans. Some Buddhist artwork portrays this shape changed Naga as a seated man with a snake or dragon extended over his head. The Naga can live anywhere on earth but the Thai and Lao versions of the Naga generally live near or in water.

In the Northeast of Thailand the Mekong is held as a very sacred Naga sanctuary with many Thai’s and Lao’s still believing the Naga rule and live in the waters. Indeed,  there are still annual sacrificial ceremonies held in both Thailand and Laos to pay respect to the Naga because they believe the Naga protect them from danger on the water as well as the believe that the Naga bring prosperity to fishermen.

The mystery deepens every year on the 15th day of the 11th month of the Thai and lao lunar calendars.  On this day between the Nong Khai and Pak-Ngeum provinces of Thailand red fireballs the size of eggs shoot out of the Mekong and high into the sky for all to see. It’s widely believed both in Thailand and Laos that the Naga under the river shoot the fireballs into the air to celebrate the end of Vassa or Buddhist lent.

Both local Thai’s and Laos claim this is a natural phenomenon and a reminder to them by the Naga to treat the waters with much respect. Although many claim it to be a hoax there has never been definitive proof to the contrary. Well, nobody has spoiled the fun as far as I know…there are theories that the Lao’s know a bit more about the fireballs than they are letting on

Festivals are held in Pak-Ngeum and Phonephisai districts in Nong Khai province as well as every district and province in between during the second week of October, usually between the 10th and the 16th. Likewise the Lao counterparts on the other side of the Mekong hold festivities at the same time.

Even if you don’t believe in the mythology or history of the Naga you can still appreciate the beauty they bring to Thailand.

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July 24th – July 27th

The Pattaya international tattoo festival kicked off this weekend at CentralFestival Pattaya Beach with puppet shows by world renown Jo Luis Theatre puppeteer’s and a tattoo fashion show with well known Thai models.

The tattoo festival will run through the weekend and wrap up on July 27th. Many other activities associated with the festival will be happening all weekend long throughout the city.

This tattoo festival is the brainchild of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in conjunction with Central Festival Pattaya Beach, City Hall and the Pattaya Tattoo Club and shouldn’t be confused with Jimmy Wong’s annual World Tattoo Festival.

Some video’s from last years Jimmy Wong World Tattoo Festival.

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The 12th annual Pattaya Bike Week kicks off this Thursday in Jomtien with the soi 4 non stop rock and roll street party. The main concert will take place on the 13th & 14th at Chaiyapreuk Stadium. There will be a lot of local bands appearing as well as some western acts from America and the U.K.

Pattaya bike week has steadily grown over the years with last year seeing 35,000 people a night and well over 10,000 riders participating in the festivities. Riders from Across South East Asia will attend as well as riders from America, Great Britain and Australia.

The theme for this years bike week is Ride for Peace. The organizers of Pattaya Bike Week, the Burapha Motorcycle Club, have declared it to be a celebration of peace where bikers from around the world can get together in the spirit of camaraderie regardless of race, color, creed or age. Aside from good times, good music, and great rides the organizers want to get the message out to Thailand’s youth about responsible riding habits with a strong anti drug message.

If you’ll be in town between the 12th & 14th this will definitely be the event to attend and you’ll be sure to see a lot of great bikes.

For more information:

Ride for Peace Forums

Contact : Boon +6012. 588 8263 / +668 1543 8900

locklaqchopper@gmail.com

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The third annual Phuket international blues festival will take place later this month featuring over a dozen blues acts from as far away as America and Sweden as well as blues acts native to Thailand.

The festival will kick off with a warm up session February 19th at 7:00pm at the corner of Yaowarat & Talang Road, Phuket Town with a performance by Rockin Angels Jammin Cafe. Then on February 20th the Blues festival will start  a weekend of great music at the Hilton Arcadia resort and spa. The festival will end February 22cnd at midnight.

Among the featured acts will be Rich Harper, Eric Bibb, the great contemporary bluesman, MitchWoods and his Rocket 88’s and top rated Swedish blues duo Bert Deivert and Janne Zander. The festival will also feature local Thai blues bands such as Cannonball, The Soi Dog Blues Band, Georgia, and Full House.

A full listing of acts and scheduled times can be found at Phuket Blues Festival. Tickets can be purchased at Thai Ticket Major as well as at the Hilton Arcadia resort and spa in Phuket, Ticket prices range from 880 baht for a one day pass, 1200 baht for a two day pass and 3000 baht for the VIP pass. There will also be loads of good food, drinks, and games to play.

For an update on acts and times you can visit the Phucket Blues Festival website listed above or you can call or email for the information using the information below.
Phone: +66 866 822 639
Email: info@phuketbluesfestival.com

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To end the week on a lighter note I thought it would be nice to let you know about one of the most beautiful festivals to take place in Thailand, the Chiang Mai Flower Festival.

The 33rd annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival will take place February 6th through February 8th in Suan Buak Hart Park, in the old city surrounded by historic moats.

With the natural beauty of Chiang Mai as it’s  backdrop the annual flower festival is a major draw for thousands of residents and tourists alike.

Held during the first week of February the festival has a little bit of something for everyone and a lot of beautiful flowers. The festival takes place during the cool time of the year in Thailand when all the flowers are in full bloom and the city will be awash in vibrant colors and scents.

Throughout the 3 day festival visitors will see an amazing array of beautiful flowers on display, including over 100 varieties of orchids and miniature trees.

The second day of the festival kicks off with a parade through the town featuring huge floats covered in a tapestry of amazing  flowers numbering in the thousands. You’ll see Thai performers in traditional Thai dress adorned with flowers as well as hill tribe performers in traditional dress.

As the day draws to an end everyone will head to Suan Buak Hart park where all the floats, award winning flower growers and landscapers projects will be on display.

The park will be full of food stalls selling their delicacies and later in the afternoon the Miss Chiang Mai Flower festival beauty pageant starts. The party goes well into the evening until the new Flower Festival Queen is chosen.

This is really a must see event, especially for the photographers among you.

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It’s that time of the year again when the Chinese calender marks the Lunar New Year.  Also known as the Spring festival,  because it marks the beginning of spring, Chinese New Year is the most celebrated festivals in the world. Celebrations will take place all across Asia and everywhere there is a significant Chinese population.

Each Chinese year is assigned an animal symbol, 2009 is the year of the ox which symbolizes hard work and fortitude that can lead to prosperity.

In the Chinese zodiac, people who are born in the Year of the Ox are considered as calm and dependable as their animal symbol. Not only are they modest but they are able to bear nearly any amount of hardship without complaint. Logical and systematic to the point of having little imagination, an ox person with their mind made up is rarely dissuaded from their decision. Because of their honesty and patience, these people are always welcome and typically have many friends who appreciate their quiet but relaxed sociability.

There will be many festivities throughout Thailand with the largest taking place in Bangkok’s China town. Many people will take part in rituals to cleanse themselves of bad luck and to honor their ancestors. Fake money and gifts will be burned in offerings to the departed to help them prosper in the after life.

The Thailand Tourist Authority is hoping this will be the beginning of a turn around in low tourism numbers. It’s estimated Chinese New Year will draw some 500, 000 tourists ( mostly Chinese ) and bring in around 550 million baht ( 14.3 million dollars ).

China is said to be sending over 200 performers from 7 cities to perform shows across Thailand during the lunar New Year.

The symbol of the Ox is seen as a fortuitous sign that with hard work we can pull out of this global economic mess. I truly hope that’s true.

Wherever you are in the world I hope you have a chance to partake in the Chinese New Year celebrations and I also hope you have a safe, happy and healthy New Year.

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Below is a list of Thailand’s public & national holidays for 2009. Businesses and government offices will be closed on national holidays while tourist attractions, clubs, and shops generally remain open. Many holidays such as Loy Kratong and Visaka Bucha day are based on the lunar calender so will change dates from year to year.

The holiday calender is located in the right sidebar year round for your convenience.

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Jimmy Wong’s second annual tattoo festival will play host to over 200 tattoo artists from around the world. The festival begins May 16th and will go through May 18th.

Traditional Thai tattoo known as Khone Drama will be at the forefront of the exhibit due to it’s renewed interest in the past few years by foreigners as well as traditional Japanese and Tribal.

The festival will kick off on May 16th with a seminar at the Manita hotel in Pattaya at 1pm featuring
Gippy Rondinella from Italy, Johnny Twothumb family from Singapore, and the Jimmy Wong family from Bangkok.

There will be many things to see and do over the 3 day festival including tattoo contests:

• Best of creation.
• Best tribal tattoo.
• Best of Thai traditional tattoo.
• Best Japanese style tattoo.
• Best Color .
• Best body suit.
• Best lady tattoo (Miss Tattoo).
• Best shadow work.
• Best male tattoo ( Mister Tattoo).
• Best dragon tattoo.
• Best old school tattoo.
• The regent tattoo artist of the year.

For a full Itinerary of events and more information regarding the festival and tattoo artists involved you can head over to Jimmy Wong’s site 2cnd world Tattoo Arts Festival

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Songkran ( Thai new year ) started yesterday and the worlds largest water fight is well under way. Here are some videos taken yesterday throughout Thailand.

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