Thailand celebration of the tradition Thai New Year captures the imagination of travellers for both its cultural and fun attributes; the latter being enthusiastic bouts of water splashing between friends and relatives.

In Bangkok, the Songkran Water Festivals 2010 will be held between Date 10 and 15 April around the Rattanakosin Island district.

The main celebrations, in the capital, focus on bathing rites of replicas of revered Buddha images originating from various provinces in the North, South, East and central regions, interspersed with traditional food and dessert-making demonstrations and cultural performances.

The opening ceremony will take place, 10 April 2010, at Phra Chetupon Wimol Manklaram or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

There are also important celebrations through the country at various tourist destinations:
• Old City Songkran Festival, Ayutthaya
• Songkran Festival, Chon Buri
• Amazing Songkran, Suphan Buri
• Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival, Samut Prakarn
• Songkran Festival, Chiang Mai
• Songkran Festival, Sukhothai
• Fantastic Northeast Songkran, Golden Shower Tree and ‘Kan’ Festival and Sticky Rice Road in Khon Kaen
• Grand Northeast Songkran Festival, Nong Khai
• Songkran Nakhon Phnom and Thai-Lao New Year Celebration
• Hat Yai Midnight Songkran, Songkhla
• Grand Songkran Festival and ‘Nang Dan’ Parade, Nakhon Si Thammarat
• Songkran on the Beach and Phuket Bike Week 2010

Contact:
Events Planning Division, Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tel: 0 2250 5500 ext. 3470-3

The history of Loy Krathong festival

Loy Krathong festival is a Thai tradition which has been conducted for a long time ago. Loy Krathong has been held since the middle of the eleventh to the middle of the twelfth lunar month, which is a great flood season- especially on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month. When the moon shines at night, it makes rivers clear. It is very beautiful scenery which is suitable for floating krathong.

In the past, we called “Loy Krathong” as “Chong Pa Rieng”- floating lantern of royal ceremony. It is a Brahman festival to worship Gods- Siva, Vishnu, and Brahma. When Thai people adopted Buddhism, they adapted this ceremony to honor the Buddha’s cremated bone- the original Buddha at the second heaven ruler. They floated lantern to worship the foot-print of the Buddha on Nammathanati River beach in India.

Floating krathong along the river was created by Nang Noppamas; the most favorite concubine’s Sukhothai king. She made krathong as lotus-shaped. The king of Sukhothai floated it along the river. According to Sri Chula Luck’s treatise, Phra Ruang (Sukhothai king) said “From now on, on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month, kings of Siam have to make floating lantern- like lotus-shaped- to worship the foot-print of the Buddha on Nammathanati River for ever after.”

In Rattanakosin period, people often made big and beautiful krathong. According to Chao Phraya Dhipharachawong’s historical annals said:-

“In the twelfth lunar month on 14 and 15 waxing moon, I ask for members of the royal family and civil servants making big-sized krathongs- look like banana trunk rafts, they size 8-9 sauk width (an ancient Thai measure of length) and 10-11 sauk tall. They make for contesting each other. For example, some imitate krathong as Mount Meru – shaped and others make krathong as basket decorated with flowers. There are a lot of people to do these so they use a lot of money- about 20 chung (an ancient measure of weight).”

Nowadays, Loy Krathong festival is held in mostly Thai provinces. Particularly in Chiangmai, it has krathong parade, contestation of making krathongs, and Noppamas beauty pageants contest.

The villagers in northern and north-eastern parts of Thailand often float lanterns. They are made of color paper. If they float in the afternoon, they will use smoke for floating lanterns while they use torch to set smoke in lanterns to float them in wind chill at night. We can see the light from lantern in the sky with moonshine and stars’ glitter at night, which is very beautiful.

Interesting stories about Loy Krathong

There are many legends of Loy Krathong:-
1. Loy Krathong is to ask for forgiveness Pra Mae Khongkha.
2. According to Brahma belief, Loy Krathong is to worship God.
3. Loy Krathong is to welcome Buddha when he came back to the world- he had stayed in the Buddhist temple during the rainy season at the second heaven ruler to teach his mother.
4. Loy Krathong is to worship foot-print of Buddha on the Nammathanati River beach.
5. Loy Krathong is to worship Chulamanee in the heaven where the Buddha’s hair is buried.
6. Loy Krathong is to worship Bhakabhrama in heaven.
7. Loy Krathong is to worship Uppakutta-dhera who observed religious precept at the middle portion of the sea.

Loy Krathong’s history in Thailand
Loy Krathong in Thailand originated in Sukhothai period as “Loy Phra Pra Teip” or “Loy Khom” (floating lantern). It is a festival of Thai people. After that, Noppamas- the most favorite concubine’s Sukhothai king – created krathong, like lotus-shaped, for floating in the river. Instead of floating lantern, it used for worshipping the foot-print of Buddha at Nammathanati River beach in Thakkhinabodh district, India. As we called “Nehrabhuddha river.”

Loy Krathong at the present
Nowadays, Thai people still keep form suitably; on the full moon of the twelfth, people usually prepare natural materials to make krathong. For example, they use banana trunk and lotus to make beautiful krathong then stick candle, incense stick, and flowers in krathong. They always ask for good luck in the future and forgiveness Pra Mae Khongkha.

At the temples and tourist places, they held contestation of making krathong and Noppamas beauty pageants contest. There are many entertainment shows at night. Moreover, they set cautiously fireworks. The materials, used for making krathong, could be easily decomposed.

Reasons for Loy Krathong
We can conclude the reasons for Loy Krathong in Thailand that:-
1. To ask for forgiveness Pra Mae Khongkha because we use and drink water. Moreover, we often throw rubbishes and excrete wasted things in the water.
2. To worship the foot-print of the Buddha on Nammathanati River beach in India.
3. To fly away misfortune and bad things like floating sin- Bhrama ceremony.
4. To pay respect to Uppakhud whom mostly northern villagers show their gratitude for. According to legend, he was a monk who had supernatural to kill Mara.
Krathong could be made from anything else such as banana leaves, banana trunks, coconut barks, paper, and etc. Stuck with incense stick and candle to make a wish and float it in the river.

Loikrathong’s lyrics
November full moon shines,
Loi Krathong, Loi Krathong,
and the water’s high
in the river and local klong,

Loi Loi Krathong,
Loi Loi Krathong,
Loi Krathong is here and everybody’s full of cheer,

We’re together at the klong,
We’re together at the klong,

Each one with this krathong,
As we push away we pray,
We can see a better day.

Tee of time at the annual Hua Hin/Cha-am Golf Festival.

It could be tagged the best golf offer in Asia and it is perfect timing as the bargains on the greens are now matched  by superb discounts offered on air travel and accommodation.

Hua Hin and Cha-am, twin resorts on the west side of the Gulf of Thailand, annually host the Hua Hin/Cha-am Golf Festival that runs throughout August and September.

For golf enthusiasts it is pure magic. The option of playing eight competition level golf courses all within easy reach of the two resorts, at incredibly low green fees, is undeniably an offer too good to refuse.

Tourism Authority of Thailand’s offices in Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces, in co-operation with the Phetchaburi- Prachuap Khiri Khan Golf Course Association, host the annual event to support tourism and promote golfing, a valuable niche market that helps the resorts to generate substantial business during the traditional low-season.

Over the last three years, the festival has been fine-tuned to the point it is now recognised as a premier event for Asia’s golfing community.

The promotional offers include the opportunity to play golf at any of the eight selected golf courses, throughout August and September, for only Bt800 — without doubt the lowest green fees of the year.

The exception is Springfield Golf Course, which will increase its green fee for September.

There are also invitations to compete in organised tournaments every Sunday for just Bt1,200 (includes caddy fee and dinner), with lots of lucky prizes. The player achieving a hole-in-one at designated holes will win a car on the last day of the festival.

There are also prizes presented for the ‘longest drive’ contests and an opportunity to shop for specially-discounted golf products with 10 to 30% reduction on Pro Shop prices at all courses.

Of course, specialised golf travel firms are keen to tap the potential of this popular festival by offering “Golf Lovers” packages at the “heavenly seaside resorts of Hua Hin and Cha-am”. The prices range from approximately Bt11,000  for two nights’ accommodation, two rounds of golf and transfers.   A five-night stay with four rounds of golf sells for around Bt19,000.  Trips can be confirmed and paid for online.

The following eight golf courses are participating in the festival :

Banyan Golf Club, Hua Hin
Tel +66 (0) 3261 6200
Fax +66 (0) 3261 6222
Email: Stacey@banyanestatehuahin.com

Imperial Lake View Hotel and Golf Club
Tel: +66 (0) 3245 6233 – 40
Fax: +66 (0) 3245 6244
E-mail: lakeview@imperialhotels.com

Springfield Village Golf and Spa
Tel: +66 (0) 3270 9222
Fax: +66 (0) 3270 9233
E-mail: playgolf@springfieldresort.com

Majestic Creek Golf and Resort
Tel: +66 (0) 3261 9168 – 70, (081) 942 3619
Fax: +66 (0) 3260 2784

Sawang Resort and Golf Club
Tel: +66 (0) 3256 2555 – 7
Fax: +66 (0) 3256 2558

Palm Hills Golf Resort and Country club
Tel: +66 (0) 3244 2460 – 1, (0) 3252 0801 – 9
Fax: +66 (0) 3244 2463
E-mail: sales_huahin@palmhills-golf.com

Kaeng Krachan Golf and Country Club
Tel: +66 (0) 3242 2145
Fax: +66 (0) 3242 2146
E-mail: info@kkcgolf.com

Royal Hua Hin Golf Golf Course
Tel: +66 (0) 3251 2475, (0) 3253 1070
Fax: +66 (0) 3251 3038
E-mail: royal_golf@hotmail.com