Bun Luang & Phi Ta Khon Festival

photo from Thailand Land of Smiles

This is more commonly known as the Ghost Festival and I must say that I did not recognise this festival.


Also known as the Thailand Ghost Festival, the Phi Ta Khon Festival is a much anticipated and highly regarded event in Thailand. Revelers and participants will don ghost masks and costumes made of bamboo and wicker and walk through town in the annual ghost parade which is more to the point a rain making ceremony that ushers in the beginning of rainy season.


The Phi Ta Khon Festival is a well attended event that brings together making merit, having a party, and reenacting the folklore of the reincarnation of King Vessandorn, the Buddha to be. Buddhist legend has it that the townspeople were angry that the charitable King gave away two precious white elephants to another King who asked for them. They then forcibly exiled him into the forest. The angels and spirits in the forest admired his unconditional generosity so they formed a procession to escort him back to rule the town. The townspeople became overjoyed with his epiphany and so the legend was born and has since given way to the annual Phi Ta KhonFestival.

The text is not mine but from Thailand Land of Smiles.

  

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Halal Festival in Phuket 2011

This was a Festival that I missed (again) - this was in 2010.

The small restaurant on the corner of the road in Cape Panwa came second for their breakfast patonkor - my daughter loves to have breakfast here.

click for map

winner photographs 

Sunthon Phu Day 24th June

This annual celebration commemorates the birthday of the celebrated Rattanakosin poet, Sunthorn Phu (1787 - 1855), designated as an eminent classical poet by UNESCO. The celebration occurs at the Sunthorn Phu Memorial Park at Ban Kram village, Amphoe Klaeng, birthplace of the poet father. 


If you want to know more about this poet I suggest you try this site - it is complete.

 

Baba Weddings in Phuket - a special event 2011

The Baba Wedding started on the 10th of June in Phuket Town - the event was the Tam Nom Sod Day and took place at the Phuket Merlin Hotel.  It was attended by a great number of Thai people but it looked like there were more women and their finest clothes were out for this evening.

Early the next morning - I nearly didn't make it after a wonderful dinner at Siam Indigo - there was a Tea Ceremony at Hongyok House where thanks were shared with the families of the bride and the groom.

After this there was a plethora of photographs taken and I sat in the lawn with a coffee that I had nipped out for.  Things began to change when the elders of the community (those which were respected the most) were put on rickshaws and the parade through Phuket Town started.

The roads were decorated and there were a plethora of young children dressed in Traditional Thai costume and they waited for the lucky couples to walk by an scatter them with flowers - beautiful.

The parade finished at the Thaihua Museum where photographs were taken - a beautiful building.  Following this short stop the couples were each led to a car and they were driven around the corner to the Chinese Temple where candles were lit and blessings were shared.

Lunch was at the Phuket Governor's house, 

who was one of the lucky couples that day.

Here is a link to read about the history of the Baba Wedding.

This was the event in 2010.

more photographs

8th Southern Prison Products Fair (3rd - 16th June)

from Phuket Wan

What seems like a good idea - but the question raised in the Phuket Gazette Forum is whether the inmates receive any of the cash.

For photos of 2010 please visit Phuket Wan