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Chiang Mai hosts many Thai festivals, including:
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Loi Kratong (known locally as Yi Peng): Held on the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar. In the western calendar this usually falls in November. Every year thousands of people assemble floating banana-leaf containers (krathong) decorated with flowers and candles onto the waterways of the city to worship the Goddess of Water. Lanna-style sky lanterns (khom fai) are launched into the air. These are believed to help rid the locals of troubles and are also taken to decorate houses and streets.
Songkran: Held in mid-April to celebrate the traditional Thai new year. Chiang Mai has become one of the most popular locations to visit for this festival. A variety of religious and fun-related activities (notably the good-natured city-wide water-fight) take place each year, along with parades and a Miss Songkran beauty competition.
Flower Festival: A three-day festival held during the first weekend in February each year, this event occurs when Chiang Mai's temperate and tropical flowers are in full bloom. The festivities include floral floats, parades, traditional dancing shows, and a beauty contest.
Tam Boon Khan Dok, the Inthakin (City Pillar) Festival, starts on the day of the waning moon of the six lunar month and lasts 6–8 days. In 2009, this is May 20-27. Centered around Wat Chedi Luang where the city pillar is housed, this is a celebration of brahmic origin. Offerings are made to the city pillar as well as the many other Buddhist and Lanna-era icons. Dancing, musical performances, carnival games, and the ubiquitous Thai vendor food is present. This is a very large celebration in which the Chiang Mai citizenry participate.
Song- Kran Festival
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The most popular festival in the world (I think) is Song-Kran festival. It’s the most frenetic festival in the country, the Luna New Year. It’s held from 13th to 15th April in each year. If you plan to come here on this festival, it’s very necessary to plan and book everything in advance (flight and accommodation) because you won’t get many troubles with many travelers who also come here. Traditionally it was celebrated by Buddha images being bathed with water and the showing of respect to monks and elders. From the sprinkling of water onto someone’s hands as a sign of respect it has evolved into mass drenching for anyone who decides to venture outdoors. Surely I have to correct some food before those days in order to not getting wet when I go shopping on those days. This festival can be one of the friendliest, though wet. It’s a great way to make new friends and get wet together. |
Inthakin (City Pillar Adoration)
This formality is very important for Chiang Mai. We normally have a city pillar adoration ceremony once a year on May or June (rainy days). We believe that the pillar is very strong and we adore having constant lives. And we also sacrifice the city pillar on rainy season to let through year have a better agriculture. Many people come to joy the activities which come with this ceremony.
Tan Kuay Salak
Tan Kuay Salak is Lanna tradition to present offerings to a Buddhist monk. It’s normally on September to November in every year. Each village will set the date for people and the temple in order to parade to Wat or temple. Then a bamboo baskets are made with the banana leafs putting on the bottom of basket. After that people put the dry food (stock fish, red onion, instant noodles, cigarette, etc.), fresh fruits (banana, sugar cane, orange, etc) and appliances (toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, towel, etc.) and make it like a shelf. The people who intent to make Tan Kuay Salak have to identify person who donates on behalf of, and then write it down on book palm (Salak) before putting to the shelf. Next they decorate with the flowers and celestial tree before making a parade with cultural shows and going to the choosing temple.
Loi Kra-Thong
One of the most beautiful and moving sights is the festivities relating to the annual festival of Loi Kra-Thong held in November. As the moon rises in the evening, a small lotus-shaped raft of banana leaves filled with flowers, candle, a snip of your nail, a piece of your hair, and a few coins, is set afloat in the ocean or down a waterway begging good luck for the forthcoming year. The best Kra-Thong must be made of banana leaves or bread so that becoming food for the fish. In Chiang Mai, there is releasing the large paper hot-air balloons. It’s like you cast away your troubles and call in the hopes of the future. One thing of Loi Kra-Thong is to “thank” to the water. However, this day is one day I enjoy with Loi Kra-Thong, releasing the balloons, and playing fireworks.
Custom
Chiang Mai is also the capital of Lanna in Thailand. Every part has its own style of custom to show how is different in each place. And I think it’s very interesting to learn about the customs in wherever I visit. It’s like you get more knowledge about that place and the trips are more fun. In this topic, firstly I would like to tell you northern custom that you’d see only in here. And second is “Wai”, that it’s the most important and main custom in Thailand. Even one time you come here, it’s very useful to know about it.
Kwang Fighting Tradition (Beetle Fighting)
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Kwang is a kind of beetle with six legs. Male have horns on their head that have jagged edges while the female has no horns. They eat the juice from sugar cane and other plants. The Kwang that are chosen to fight are called Kwang-Song.
Free from farming duties during the rainy season (around July to October), northern Thai people gather together to set a fighting of their own Kwang. If you would like to see or join this activity, visit Chiang Mai during this period and go to the lawn situated on Kaew Nawarat Road. Come and Join together. |
Khi-Yo, Po-Ya-Khuen (Cigarettes)
Poh-ui (grandpa) rolls his cigarettes and will arrange the tobacco on the Bai-Tong-Jor (dried banana leaf to enhance its menthol favor. These local cigarette ingredients are widespread all over the Lanna area and are always kept in an iron box called Poh-Ya-Khuen. This is the daily activity of old Chiang Mai people which it’s quite difficult to see. Nowadays, people have modern cigarettes so that they forget about the old one. However, some people and place try to decorate the entrance with dry are-nut, cigarettes, and cheroots indicate the hospitality of Lanna people welcoming every visitor. |
