Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Date: 17 – 26 October 2009
Venue: Various Chinese shrines, Mueang District, Phuket
http://www.tourismthailand.org/ajaxengine/upload/mod_festival_event/17/html_library/�Թ��1.jpg
This famous festival is held from 17 to 26 October, at various Chinese temples and shrines in Phuket town.
No one is quite sure about the origins of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, but historians reckon it was started by the Chinese community about 150 years ago. One matter is beyond doubt it is one of the most spectacular of all the vegetarian festivals held in Thailand.
The nine-day festival runs from 17 to 26 October and its roots are firmly embedded in the Chinese community’s belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar is good for body and soul.
Apart from adhering to a strict vegetarian, diet those who join the festival make offerings to the Nine Emperor Gods to to secure a year of health.
Always held on the first days of the ninth Chinese lunar month, and for nine days it exerts a serious commitment from those who participate.
They use the festival to gain cleanliness of the body through a vegetarian diet, dressing in white and abstaining from all pleasures including the consumption of alcohol and sex.
Crowds are attracted to the Phuket festival because it continues to display traditional practices that have largely disappeared in cities where the Chinese communities embrace a vegetarian diet, but little else of the ancient customs.
In Phuket town, visitors watch in awe at fire walking, body piercing and other acts of self mortification, some of the feats quite scary.
Men and women puncture their cheeks with various sharp objects, believing the Chinese gods will protect them from harm. This festival is not for the feint hearted.
There are six Chinese temples in Phuket town, but the main site is the Jui Tui Shrine, not far from the fresh food market. The traditional raising of a 10-metre high lantern pole signals the start of the festival. Celebrants believe that the Hindu god, Shiva, descends bringing spiritual power to the venue.
Apart from the spectacular and sometimes shocking displays of self mortification, there are handy escape routes to the roadside food stalls laden with an astonishing variety of vegetarian dishes.
At a glance they look like chicken or red meat dishes, such is the art of vegetarian cooking these days. Well worth a visit while on holiday in Phuket.
Contact:
TAT Phuket, Tel : 66 (0) 7621 1036, 66 (0) 7621 2213
Website : www.tourismthailand.org
Yi Peng Festival
Date: 27 October - 2 November 2009
Venue: Tha Phae Gate, banks of Ping River, Chiang Mai Municipal Office, Chiang Mai
Highlights:
An amazing procession of hanging lanterns, Krathong design contest, Miss Yi Peng beauty contest, light and sound presentation in Ping River, the ancient Thai Lanna Krathong activities, local cultural performances, and local handicrafts market in Lanna style.
**Contact:
**- TAT Chiang Mai, Tel : 66 (0) 5324 8604, 66 (0) 5324 8607
Website : www.loikrathong.net
www.tourismthailand.org
www.tatchiangmai.org
E-mail : [EMAIL=“tatchiangmai@tat.or.th”]tatchiangmai@tat.or.th
Loi Krathong and Candle Festival
Date: 31 October - 2 November 2009
**Venue: **Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai
**
Highlights:
**You will be dazzled by the float procession of large krathong from 17 Northern provinces. The procession will consist of krathongs from government agencies, state enterprises, private sectors, and general public, including hanging lanterns, Krathong design contest, and Miss Noppamas Beauty Contest, light and sound presentation, firework displays, Sukhothai arts and culture performances, and the activity of “Dawn of happiness”.
**
Contact:**
TAT Sukhothai Tel: 66 (0) 5561 1196
Website : www.loikrathong.net
www.tourismthailand.org
Loi Krathong Sai Festival
Date: 1 - 2 November 2009
Venue: Banks of Ping River,Tak
Highlights:
An exceptional opportunity for you to experience the atmosphere of joining the Krathong Sai (floating coconut-shell krathong in line) contest, in order to win His Majesty the King’s trophy. Other remarkable activities will include the floating lanterns of the Royal Family, the procession of the Royal Krathong and lantern, the illumination of Krathong Sai, light and sound presentation, fireworks, water curtain presentation in “The Legend of Krathong Sai”, the longest Krathong Sai, local cultural shows, food and OTOP products.
Contact:
TAT Tak, Tel : 66 (0) 5551 4341-3
Website : www.loikrathong.net , www.krathongsaitak.net
www.tourismthailand.org
E-mail : [EMAIL=“tattak@tat.or.th”]tattak@tat.or.th
**Bang Sai Loi Krathong Tam Prathip Festival
**Date: 1 - 2 November 2009
Venue: Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre under the Royal patronage of H.M.Queen Sirikit, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Relive the glorious past of Ayutthaya on this atmospheric night. Enjoy the traditional procession of beauty queens from all 4 regions and experience the relaxing surroundings of a floating market demonstration.
**Contact:
**- TAT Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Tel : 66 (0) 3524 6076-7
- Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre, Tel : 66 (0) 3536 6090-2
Website : www.loikrathong.net
www.tourismthailand.org
E-mail : [EMAIL=“tatyutya@tat.or.th”]tatyutya@tat.or.th
Loi Krahong Krung Kao (Old Ayutthaya Style of Loi Krathong)
Date: 2 November, 2009
Venue: Thung Phukhao Thong Area, beside King Naraesuan the Great Memorial Statue, Ayutthaya
**Highlights:
**Enjoy and experience the Ayutthaya Style of Loi Krathong, feast your eyes on the cultural performances and entertainments as well as food and goods fair.
Loi Krathong at 4 Corners of the Old City (Ayutthaya)
Venue: 4 corners of Ayutthaya, i.e. under Pridi-Thamrong Bridge; Pom Petch; in front of National Museum-Chandrakasem; and in front of Chedi Si Suriyothai.
**Highlights:
**This is a memorable event for you to experience the contest of hanging lanterns, small-size Krathong contest, Miss Noppamas (international) beauty contest, Noppamas kids contest, singing contest, cultural performances, and OTOP products.
For further details : please contact Ayutthaya Tourist Centre Tel: 66 (0) 3524 2730-1
Surin Elephant Roundup
Date: November 14 - 25 , 2009
Venue: Surin Province
Enjoyable Elephant Talent Shows [More than 250 elephants performing] At Surin Elephant Show Stadium
http://www.tourismthailand.org/ajaxengine/upload/mod_festival_event/17/html_library/elesurin1.jpg
http://www.tourismthailand.org/ajaxengine/upload/mod_festival_event/17/html_library/elesurin2.jpg
The visitors have an opportunity to go sight-seeing around the town by riding the elephant.
Ticket price : 1,000, 500, 300 and 40 Baht Respectively.
Please reserve the tickets in advance (Specificially 1,000 and 500 Baht)
Download Ticket Booking Form www.surin.go.th
For more information
Surin Provincial Governor’s Office, Surin Province Tel. 0 4451 2039
Tourism Authority of Thailand, Surin Office Tel. 0 4454 8152
Website : http://www.surin.go.th/elephant_52/index.htm
**H.M. the King’s Birthday
**Date : 5 December 2009
Venue : Nationwide
On 5 December 2009, His Majesty the King will celebrate his 82nd birthday anniversary. His Majesty has therefore announced that this special event be known as “the Celebrations on the Auspicious Occasion of His Majesty the King 82nd Birthday Anniversary 5th December 2009”
An alms-giving ceremony in the morning is followed by a huge festival of music and culture at Sanam Luang in Bangkok to celebrate His Majesty the King’s birthday. You can also appreciate the beauty of the decorations along Ratchadamnoen Avenue.
Contact :
- Foundation of King Rama 9
Tel : 66 (0) 2356 0050-2, 66 (0) 2356 0203 Fax : 66 (0) 2356 0051-2
Website: www.belovedking.com
E-mail: [EMAIL=“foundation@au.edu”]foundation@au.edu
**Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya World Heritage Fair
****Date : **12 - 21 December 2009
Venue : Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Histirical Park, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya was once the glorious capital of Thailand. It was also a centre of trade and government, and possessed a long period of prosperity. Be amazed by the light-and-sound show, the exhibitions on Ayutthaya as a World Heritage Site, as well as the cultural performances. Having fun shopping for a variety of OTOP product is another activity.
**Contact:
**- TAT Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Tel : 66 (0) 3524 6076-7, 66 (0) 3532 2730-1
- Provincial Public Relations Office, Tel. : 66 (0) 3533 6550
Website : www.tourismthailand.org
Thailand’s New Year Countdown celebrations
Thais know how to party. Some might say at the drop of a hat. A party brings out the best in national identity – a broad genuine Thai smile. So should we be surprised that Thailand is a favoured venue to celebrate New Year? This is the land of smiles and “sanook”.
Whether the countdown is in Bangkok, Phuket or a far northern destination, the celebrations will carry the hallmarks of fun and genuine hospitality that make the country such a rewarding destination to visit.
Of course, Bangkok has a mission to fulfill. It aspires to make its 2010 New Year Countdown a mega-celebration, on par with the biggest and brightest in Asia Pacific.
The spotlight is on the “Hands Bangkok Countdown”, where more than 200,000 New Year party goers will mingle in the downtown CentralWorld Square. Festivities begin 21 December and culminate in the countdown on New Year’s Eve extending through New Year’s Day.
Concerts and live on-stage performances, the informal atmosphere of beer gardens and light and sound shows support a theme of peace and joining hands across a multitude of cultures and races.
According to the organisers, joining hands will bring people together – lovers, friends and families – to celebrate the hopes and destiny of a New Year.
A gigantic screen will allow party goers to view the countdown celebrations in countries in the same time zone, while a giant 21 metre-high Greeting Ball Tower, with a three-metre diameter LCD orb-screen will create bursts of stunning display of light, colour, sound and movement at minute intervals over the party scene, until the countdown begins and the fireworks light up the sky.
There are two other official locations for New Year celebrations.
The National Stadium, just 2 km from CentralWorld Square on the city’s Skytrain route, will be packed to capacity as residents and tourists enjoy an evening of musical concerts, variety show performances organised by GMM Grammy Records and Channel 9. TV stars will turn out to entertain the crowd, while a huge screen will show nation-wide countdown celebrations as the minutes tick by.
A more traditional Thai celebration will underscore activities at the city’s Sanam Luang, with the famed temple roofs and spires in the Grand Palace courtyards providing the backdrop. Crowds will gather on the historic spacious parade ground, facing Thammasat University, to enjoy classical dance performances, folk songs from the various provinces and musical concerts for an older generation of city residents.
As the countdown celebrations get underway, firework displays along the banks of the nearby Chao Phraya River will illuminate the sky.
For More Information : Please call 1672
or Events Planning Division, TAT Tel. 66 (0) 2250 5500 ext 3465-3468