Khao Phansa festivals across Thailand

One of the most charming festivals celebrated in Thailand is Khao Phansa, or Buddhist Lent Day, which marks the official start of the rainy season. It also marks the period when monks traditionally retreat to their temples for a three-month period of study and meditation.

Khao Phansa day itself is a day of special celebration and is held on the full moon of the eighth lunar month which this year falls on 28 July. But many of the celebrations to mark the festival will take place over several days during the last week of July.

Here’s a rundown of what’s on during Khao Phansa 2018 and where:

Ubon Ratchathani International Wax Candle Festival and Wax Candle Procession

Date: 23-28 July 2018

Venue: Ubon Ratchathani City Areas

The International Wax Candle Festival and Wax Candle Procession takes place in Thung Si Mueang Park, Ubon Ratchathani. Teams come from all over the world to compete and the detail on the wax artworks is staggering, with some being colossal in scale. It’s a great place to explore unique local cultures as the locals wear traditional dress and show off their age-old folk dances.

Nakhon Ratchasima Candle Procession

Date: 26-28 July 2018

Venue: Thao Suranari Monument

At the Thao Suranari Monument in Mueang Korat, there will be a wax candle contest, a candle parade, and merit-making activities. Held annually to promote the local art and culture, the festival will also feature a number of cultural activities including Khon, a traditional masked dance performance.

Nakhon Phanom Candle Festival

Date: 28 July 2018

Venue: Wat Phra That Phanom

The Lao-influenced culture of Nakhon Phanom gives a different twist to the Khao Phansa celebrations. The festival centres on the iconic local pagoda of Wat Phra That Phanom and there is always a procession of exquisitely carved candles to enjoy as well as the Miss Candle Beauty contest where local beauties hope to be named winner.

Ayutthaya Aquatic Phansa Festival

Date: 28 July 2018

Venue: Lad Chado market, Ayutthaya

The ancient capital of Ayutthaya hosts very memorable Khao Phansa celebrations, as the candles are taken to the local temples in more than 200 colourful boats that float down the city’s ancient Lad Chado canal. Visitors can also enjoy a taste of rural life, beauty pageants, and local games.

Suphanburi Khao Phansa Candle Procession

Date: 27-28 July 2018

Venue: Wat Pa Laylai Woraviharn, Tambon Rua Yai, Mueang Suphan Buri

Students from local art colleges compete to put on the most impressive candle displays. There are huge sculptures depicting creatures and heroes from Thai myth and these are proudly paraded around town. Visitors also enjoy exhibitions about the ways of life of the local tribal people and colourful displays of folk dancing.

Saraburi Khao Phansa Festival
Date: 26-28 July 2018

Venue: Wat Phra Putthabat Ratchaworamahaviharn, Saraburi

During Khao Phansa in Saraburi, people visit the local shrine of the Buddha’s Footprint where yellow and white flowers are offered to monks (Tak Bat Dok Mai) as a way of making merit. This has become a big event and now thousands of people join to give alms to the monks as they ascend the steep stairs of the shrine.

Nan Candle Festival

Date: 29 July 2018

Venue: Bunyuen Royal Temple, Wiang Sa district, Nan

Visitors can join local people as they offer food to the monks in the morning. Later in the day, they can join the almsgiving of candles to the temple and take part in other merit-making activities that offer insight into the culture of Thai Buddhism.

Source - The Nation

#Thailand - Temples transformed: superheroes bolster Buddha's ranks

Superheroes are coming to the rescue of Thailand's temples, where monks have commissioned giant statues of comic book icons and toy robots to entertain children while parents donate to their coffers.

Instead of the traditional tranquil Buddhas and mythical beasts that adorn most monasteries in the land, the shimmering Wat Ta Kien temple outside Bangkok is guarded by three towering Transformer robots.

The enormous and intricate sculptures, made from bits of scrap metal and painted bright orange, yellow and blue, "have no spiritual purpose", explained monk Pra Vichien. 

"It's for children so they won't get bored when they come to the temple with their parents," he said.

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Other temples are following suit in a country whose monasteries compete to draw visitors and keep donations flowing.

At least four Buddhist temples across Thailand and a meditation centre have bought superhero statues, according to Pairoj Thanomwong, the Thai artist who runs the workshop where the sci-fi monsters and comic book figures are manufactured.

Armed with blow torches, heaps of metal bolts and twisted car parts, the artists piece together the elaborate sculptures in a warehouse in central Thailand called "Ban Hun Lek", which translates to "House of Iron Robots".

The largest sculptures -- around seven to eight metres high -- can be sold for thousands of dollars, he said.

The factory also sells its wares to local restaurants and bars but its biggest customer base lies abroad, especially in Europe, with around 80 per cent of sales made to overseas clients who have seen the statues on social media.

Pairoj started with comic book classics but has expanded production to to include everything from steely desks and chairs to polished replicas of luxury cars and motorcycles. 

Nearly 90 per cent of the materials are recycled metal, a cost-cutting measure that also means each piece is unique. 

Tastes have changed quickly since he went into business, he said.

"In terms of the products that people like, it evolves over time," Pairoj explained. 

"Over the past 10 years, people used to like (characters from) Aliens and Predator, but now they like the Transformers."

Source - TheNations

Thailand - Monastic council likely to make decision on defrocking Phra Dhammachayo today

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Monastic council likely to make decision on defrocking Phra Dhammachayo today

THE SANGHA Supreme Council (SSC) is expected to issue a resolution today regarding the controversial monk Phra Dhammachayo.
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The honorary abbot of Dhammakaya Temple is facing charges of money laundering and accepting stolen items. 

Although he has already been stripped of his high monastic rank, he has not been defrocked.
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 The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday submitted a complaint concerning Phra Dhammachayo to the National Buddhism Office (NBO), urging it to take action against the embattled monk. 

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