Thailand Festivals March 2017 Festivals Across Thailand
March 16, 2017Thailand Festivals March 2017
Author: Josh@Asiabackpackers
Discover Thailand with Thailand Discovery
Thailand Festivals March 2017. While the month falls in the middle of two New Years, with the Chinese New Year falling in January and the Buddhist New Year, ‘Songkran’ taking place in April, March still does not let up and there are a multitude of glorious festivals right across the country to immerse your-self within.
Listed here are details on what we believe to be the best from around the magical Kingdom of Thailand
Revised Feb 2017
Thailand Festivals March 2017
Thai Lue Cultural Festival (งานสืบสานตำนานไทลื้อ)
When an ancient people have the opportunity to show case their heritage
When: Annually beginning of March
Where: Wat Phrathat Sop Waen, Amphoe Chiang Kham. Phayao Province Northern Thailand
A Fantastic festival to highlight this ancient peoples past and as they look to their future. The festival is awash with colour and song and includes a parade and various cultural demonstrations, including the dangerous game of ‘Diu bao. Along with demonstrations of traditional games there will be cotton spinning and dessert making demonstrations along with performances of Lue singing and dancing including the Choeng or martial art dance. Throughout the festival the Lue people will be dressed in traditional clothing.
For more on this festival and why an ancient game can be so dangerous click here
Chumphon Marine Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: March
Where: The Chumphon Estuary, Hat Sai Ri, Chumphon Province Southern Thailand
This year’s annual Chumphon Marine Festival is as always the opportunities for this wonderful province to show case its pristine natural beauty. During the 4 day event you can expect to find marine exhibitions and photography displays. With lots of beach fun and games including competitions in sand sculpture and fishing, there of course will be the normal scuba diving, snorkeling and boat tour packages, for those that just love to play about on and in crystal clear waters.
For more on the 4 days, what to do and see click here
Thao Suranari Memorial Fair
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Annually 23rd March – 3rd April
Where: Around the Thao Suranari Monument between Chumphon and Ratchadamnoen Roads. Nakhon Ratchasima City-Nakhon Ratchasima Province
In Memory of one of Thailand’s Greatest Heroines: The festival (billed as the biggest in Isaan) is filled to the brim with local cultural performances in song, dance and music, with the unique Khorat songs such as Phleng Khorat, played in the evenings. The song is a dialogue duet, singing tradition that has developed into a folk spectacle by the people in Khorat and traditionally uses only hand clapping with no musical instrument to accompany the vocals.
For more on the event and details on the heroine of Korat and how she turned the tide on an invading army click here
Tha Uthen Pagoda Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: March (Dates to be confirmed)
Where: Tha Uthen district. Nakhon Phanom City. 734 km northeast of Bangkok and 378 km southwest of Hanoi, Vietnam on the Mekong River dividing Thailand and Laos
Where the lesser known ethnic people of Isaan get their chance to shine. Around the Chedi during the festivities will be a vibrant mass of colour and music from various native dancers from across this North Eastern province. Male and female dancers will perform their unique cultural dances accompanied by their equally unique musicians.
The area surrounding the dance performances will be alive with stalls and booths displaying the cultural heritage and way of life of people from the surrounding 12 districts (Amphoe), along with a multitude of shops and street vendors selling local hand crafts including ‘Mudmee’ clothes and musical instruments such as the Khaen, a local-style pan pipe. Intermingled with this dazzling sea of colour (it would not be Thailand if it were not) the whole area is also awash with the mouth-watering aromas from freshly cooked food and beverages.
See more on why offerings have to be made and what else has to be done for a particular dance to be performed, on why there are 8 Chedi representing the days of the week. How to get there and more
Songkhla International Balloon Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Annually in March (TBA)
Where: Jiranakom Stadium in Hat Yai district Southern Thailand
This wonderful festival is held over 2 days and nights, with the day time sky filled with a mass of colourful and eye catching different shapes and sizes of hot air balloons, from all around the world. At night the balloons take on a life of their own as they fill the night time sky, accompanied by a thunderous combination of spectacular light and sound shows which pulls at your senses
Through-out the day there will also be a wide variety of events including music concerts, parades, marching bands and traditional music and dance shows, plus ‘Nang Talung’ shadow puppet shows and a traditional Thai fair including games and rides. Mingled in this mass of dazzling colour, strange and not so strange noises and aroma’s will be a mass of vendors selling traditional local handicrafts and most importantly a vast army of people selling both Thai food and beverages.
For more on the festival including directions, tips on how to save money, what local food to try click here
Trat Independence Day
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: 23rd – 27th March every year
Where: Trat Provincial Town Hall Trat Province Southeast Thailand
When history comes alive with passion, gratitude and warmth from a grateful nation. During the event there will be a number historical plays performed, depicting the colourful history of the province, along with a traditional Thai Fare with folk games and rides. There are also sporting events and competitions, music performances and cultural stage performances.
The whole area will be alive with the sound of vendors selling all manner of local handcrafts and local produce and of course no festival would be complete without the aroma of freshly cooked mouth-watering Thai food sold from a mass of colourful food stalls. For more on the festival click here
Thao Thep Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: 4-18th March 2017
Where: Various locations in the Thalang area, north of Phuket including Heroines’ Monument and Wat Pranangsang. Southern Thailand
A lavish spectacular to honour the two local sisters who gave their life for the people of Phuket. While the high-light of the festival is undoubtedly the Light and Sound Show with its huge historical performance, there are a multitude of cultural and sporting activities, through-out the two week festival. Plus a traditional Thai Fair with rides and games. In amongst all this fun and games there are also colourful processions from the Thalang District Office to Wat Muang Komarapat and a ceremony to pay homage to the two courageous sisters.
Sporting Events include: Mountain bike race along the historical route, a takraw tournament, (volleyball played with a rattan ball using the feet, knees, chest and head), a tug o’ war competition, sea boxing and a mini-marathon.
Cultural Events Include: Thai sword-dancing show, tradition dictates that this ceremonial dance be performed before combat, the sword dance involves dancers balancing several swords on different parts of their bodies and fighting off rivals. There is also a number of Nang Talung shadow puppet shows, or you could look in on a performance of traditional lullaby singing or traditional Thai dancers. The whole two weeks are filled with differing cultural events and shows including a genuine Thai boxing ‘wai khru’ ceremony. If you are lucky you may also get a glance at the formal Buddhist Ordination ceremonies that are also taking place during the festival.
For more on what else is going on at the festival and more about the courageous sister’s click here
Sweet Grape and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Fair
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: March 2017 (Dates to be confirmed)
Where: Courtyard and waterside of Rat Charoen Tham Temple (Wat Sun) Damnoen Sub district Ratchaburi Province West/Central Thailand
A glorious mix of blazing colour, wet shirts and a Bloody Food Battle. Entwined in the 2 days of festivities will be a huge range of cultural and fun events from glorious displays of folk art and crafts featuring locally produced “Sin Tin Chok” cloth weaving, to Dragon jar making (Ratchaburi is known as “the city of earth jars”). There are also a multitude of cultural performances including song and dance by local tribal groups, including the Karen who live near the border of Myanmar, Mon, Lawa, Lao, Chinese and Khmer minorities. But that’s not all there is also a hilarious “sea-boxing” competition and a number of formal and not so formal boating competitions, along with a beauty pageant.
For more on the event including the bloody food battle and how to get there incorporating a visit to the amazing umbrella pull down market click here
Chiang Mai International Balloon Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: 02 March 2017 to 04 March 2017
Where: Payap University. Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai
Visitor can look forward to another amazing event with balloons and pilots from all over the world. There will be lots going on with fun and games for all ages, along with International cultural shows and stalls featuring the local heritage and hand crafts plus food and beverages from the top hotels & restaurants in Chiang Mai. The annual Festival will for the first time feature the Lanna Orchestra performing original compositions by composer Ajarn Bringkop Vora-urai to the back drop of the spectacular ‘Night Glow Show’ which incorporates a light-and-sound show and finishes a spectacular fireworks display. The nights entertainment does not stop there as it is followed by entertainment from internationally famous artists performing live on stage.
A mass launch of balloons is scheduled each morning just as the sun greats the day at 06:00 – 07:00 and during the day guests can float to the sky in a tethered balloon rides, or watch the amazing displays of kite flying. Website: www.thailandballoonfestival.com
National Thai Elephant Day
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Annually since 1998 on the 13th March
Where: Across Thailand
If you have ever been to Thailand you will note the importance of this majestic animal to the people of this Kingdom, in both their daily lives and in the spiritual needs, images of elephants (Thai: Chang)are just about every-where.
Numerous events take place across the Kingdom on this day, in zoos and elephant parks you will find elephants being treating to huge banquets of their favorite food such as fruit and sugar cane. Before these buffets can commence and early in the mornings you will normally find Buddhist ceremonies being held to bring good luck to both these former beasts of burden and their handler (mahout – mahout derives from the Hindi words mahout) known in Thailand as a kwan-chang
For more on the Day, including the importance of elephants to both Buddhism and Hinduism and more click here
Wat Bang Phra Tattoo Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
Where: Wat Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom Central Thailand
When: 11th March 2017
Where faith meets mayhem – A combination of tattoos faith and dreams. Thailand has its fair share of bizarre and equally colourful festivals from the national watery mayhem of Songkran to the wacky Monkey Festival of Lopburi and to the equally strange but colourful Ghost Festival of Loei Province, but this event may just take the crown as the countries wildest, it is on this date each year when thousands of Thai’s and tourists attend the special ‘Wai Kru’ ceremony honouring the late sacred tattoo master, Luang Pu Poen. It is also a time for those that already have Yantra tattooing, to have their tattoos re-consecrated by the temples monks.
To see more on the festival including directions, plus more on Yantra Tattoo’s and their importance to Thai people including the magic that they process and a word of warning on getting stopped from entering Thailand click here.
Satun International Kite Festival 2016
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Late February/Early March 2017
Where: Satun Air Base, Muang District. Satun Province Southern Thailand
This is the 36th annual kite festival with teams from over 30 countries expected, including 100 teams from Thailand participating in this colourful extravaganza, with competitions in eight different categories, including Beauty, Creativity, High Flying, Sound, Marathon, native Kites, Giant and Student’s Kites.
The event also boasts a number of kite demonstrations and exhibitions along with a Miss Satun beauty contest, cultural performances featuring the diversity of the region’s population and live music concert from famous singers every night.
For more on the festival, how to get there, facts on kite flying and on the ancient southern Buffalo kites click here
Laanta Lanta Festival
picture by Steve Smith
When: Annually for three days in March (TBA)
Where: Koh Lanta Old Town, Krabi Province Southern Thailand
The old town of Lanta with its teakwood-lined streets and the nearby stilted restaurants that stand on the water’s edge provides the perfect back drop to one of the Kingdoms quaintest of festivals.
There are two separate stages used during the event, the main stage hosts numerous cultural displays including Performances of Rong-Ngen, the traditional music and dance of the ancient Sea Gypsies. While the second beachside stage features nightly live music including jazz and reggae performances, which all adds to the laid back atmosphere of the festivities.
The water’s edge becomes a third stage where you can witness an ancient ritual that is the ‘Boat Floating Ceremony’ conducted by the Sea Gypsy (known as the Plajan or Loi Ruea Boat Floating Festival) to protect the festival, promote peace and to cast bad spirits out into the sea.
Of course this would not be Thailand if there were not a multitude of stalls and vendors selling a vast array of mouth-water food and drinks that encapsulates the best of the islands cultural mix.
For more on the festival including details on the Sea Gypsies click here
Pattaya International Music Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: March 2017 (TBA)
Where: Pattaya Central Thailand
This annual Music Festival is in its 13th year and is reportedly the biggest and longest running international beach music festivals in Thailand and potentially Asia. It takes up all of 3 kms Beach Road Pattaya, Chon Buri. This remarkable fun filled extravaganza attract a good number of famous Asian and Thai artists covering a range of various music genres including pop, rock, hip-hop and R’n’B. All the groups and solo artists perform live on stages up and down the beach and play in front of huge crowds.
For more information, contact the Pattaya Tourism office at +66 (0)38-253128, or TAT, Pattaya Branch, on +66(0)38-427667, +66(0)38-428750 or (local short code only) 1337.
Turtle Releasing Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Annually in March 2017 (TBA)
Where: Phang-Nga Southern Thailand
Although sea turtles have lived on this planet for 130 million years, the 7 global species of Marine Turtles are all in serious decline throughout most of their range. Habitat degradation, pollution, egg poaching and over-fishing threaten to make them extinct. The aim across the world is to spotlight the threats and encourage even greater public support for these extraordinary marine creatures. Quite frankly they need all the help they can get.
Here in Thailand you can join others in release the baby turtles back to the sea after being raised by the Fisheries Department. Visitors can get close to the new born turtles as they take their first steps to their natural habitat the There a range of activities over the course of the event including a parade, exhibitions about aquamarine life and sea turtles, local sport competitions, and stage performances featuring the ethnic diversity of the province.
Boon Phawade Fair
Thailand Festivals March 2017
Boon Phawade Fair A whole day of Ancient Stories accompanied by 13 Processions
This event tells the story of Buddha’s last rebirth in sermons, glorious colour, noise and food
When: 12 – 13March 2017
Where: Bueng Phalan Chai Roi Et Northeast Thailand
“Boon Phawade” or merit making of the 4th lunar month, is one of the oldest fairs in this region of Thailand, in reality while it is purely Buddhist event, it is still full of colour and merit making. The name “Phawade” is the corrupted pronunciation of “Phra Wes” (Phra Wessandon), the name of the last reincarnation of the Lord Buddha before his birth as Prince Siddhartha.
The festival incorporates the sermon of Phra Wessandon regarding Thet Maha Chat (The Great Birth) and consists of 13 episodes that are to be completed within one day, with each episode accompanied by a separate procession.
The venue is expected to be decorated with 1,000’s of flowers, candle and joss sticks to resemble mythological forest of Himmapan. (See our post Tree Fairies of Himmapan). Added to the 13 individual processions that go onto early evening, the event also has its own special cuisine; Khanom Jin, (Thai vermicelli or khao poon) and steamed sticky rice (khao tom mut), both of which are freely offered to both visitors and monks.
If you are lucky you can also take part in the Pha Laeng Party (Isaan Gala Dinner), come the passing of the day everyone is invited to join in with the evening’s wonderful light and sound presentation. for more on the event and why it means so much to the Isan people click here
Kalasin Pong Lang, Phrae Wa and Red Cross Fair
Mo Lam singers
When: 26 February – 7 March 2017
Where: Kalasin City Hall, Amphoe Mueang, Kalasin Province North East Thailand
While this annual festival (Thai:งานมหกรรมโปงลาง แพรวา และกาชาด จังหวัดกาฬสินธุ์) is organized around this same time each year, 2017 is slightly different as the event follows on the heels of another annual event that of the Silk and Phuk Seow Festival, (17-28th Feb), which was postponed from November 2016 due the demise of our late King.
The event will feature a number of colourful parades, featuring floats from each of its 18 districts of the province, with each in turn decorated with all manner of musical instruments, beautiful flowers and strange, mystical animals. Surrounded by a sea of people dressed in their traditional clothing, accompanied by a mass of musicians, belting out traditional Isan music.
That’s not all, there are also a number of cultural competitions, a beauty pageant. A Pong Lang bands’ contest, the pong lang is a log xylophone, which has 12-15 wooden bars that are tied together with a length of rope, the instrument is generally played by two players, who each use two hardwood sticks. The lower pitch end is attached to a post or tree and other is hooked to the player’s toe. The two performers sit on either side, one playing the melody, the other playing drone accompaniment.
For more on this event and the Queen Of Silk Weaving click HERE
Flora Park Mist Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: 1 November 2016 – 31 March 2017
Where: Wang Nam Khiawo District, Nakhon Ratchasima Northeast Thailand
Known as the Switzerland of Isaan the districts motto is ‘Cool climate town.’ At this time of year it is a mass of colour and in the early morning a sea of fog. The festival is held on an area of over 50 rai at Khao Phaeng Ma and you can expect to witness a carpet of blooms from more than 100,000 flowers of over 20 different species, along with the spectacular vertical garden. There will also be over 5,000 English roses of 400 species arranged beautifully across the landscape.
Sweet Plum Mango and Nakhon Nayok Products Fair – งานวันมะปรางหวานและของดีนครนายก
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Annually Feb – March
Where: In front of the City Hall. Nakhon Nayok Province. Central Thailand
The event is held to promote the locally grown agricultural products that thrive in this fertile region, along with a myriad of local handicrafts. This is the time of the year is when the Maprang (sweet plum mangoes) are ripe for harvesting, and they can be found on sale and display in all manner of succulent food and refreshing drinks.
The fair includes a parade of colourful floats, featuring the local agricultural products, along with numerous contests, exhibitions, cultural performances and each night there is live music
Maprang (มะปราง) is a plum-like tropical fruit tree native to Southeast Asia The tree is related to the mango and is hence sometimes referred to as Plum Mango the young leaves of the tree can be eaten and are used in salads, the seed is also edible if a little bitter.
Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Annually in March (Normally around the 17th March – Which is Thailand’s National “Boxer’s Day” or “National Muay Thai Day”)
Where: Ayutthaya Historical Park 85 kms North of Bangkok
World Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony (part of Nai Khanom Tom Day) The grace and power of Muay Thai, in numerous separate event’s.
Ayutthaya will host a total of 800 Muay Thai fighters from 60 countries for this year’s 13th Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony, in March 2017, as part of the legendary ‘Nai Khanom Tom’ day.
The Ceremony is being held to showcase some of the sacred rituals of Thai boxing. Muay Thai is referred to as the “Art of Eight Limbs” or the “Science of Eight Limbs”, because it makes use of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes, thus using eight “points of contact”.
This ancient martial art form, was used through-out Siam by its warriors as a practical fighting technique for use in warfare, it now commands a huge following across the world as a contact sport. The event is to help people understand, the meaning of the Wai Kru ceremony, which is a ceremonial dance, honouring ones teachers and an important element of Thai boxing
For more on what’s going on, how to get there and the legendary Nai Khanom Tom click here
Cha-am International Kite Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: 10 -12 th March
Where: Naresuan Camp, Cha-am, Phetchaburi Province Central Thailand
A colourful day and night time event with a more laid back feel than its bigger contemporaries in the North & South of the Kingdom. This annual festival gets better and better every year, with the residence of this once quiet fishing village adorning the streets with glorious and vibrant decorations. Now in its 12th year it again boasts a vast array of colourful kites in a multitude of colours shapes and sizes, with some as tall as a 4 storey building, while others take on the forms of animals and yet others are built in strange and wonderful shapes.
For more on this festival, how to get there and what else to see click here
Trang Food Festival (งานมหกรรมอาหารดี ศรีตรังบาน)
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Annualy 30 March – 3 April
Where: Somdech Phra Srinagarindra Park 95 (Khao Pae Choi). Trang. Southern Thailand
Southern Thai food is renowned for its spiciness. Much of the cuisine has its origins in Malay, Indonesian and Indian food. Favorite dishes from the south include Indian-style Muslim curry (massaman), rice noodles in fish curry sauce (Khanom Jeen),rice and vegetable mix with Voodo sauce (KhaoYam), pork fried with Dasheen and red tofu sauce (GoYuk) plus chicken birayani.
Trang also has a unique breakfast cuisine found nowhere else in Thailand Dim Sum, which can consist of; consists of; Ja Kuai (deep fried bread), Go pii and Pa Tong Ko (local sweet donut) all washed down with Go pii (black coffee served with sugar).
This annual festival is held to further promote dishes of Trang Province. Food stalls of Trang restaurants offer dishes at discounted prices. Additional activities are an eating championship and cultural performances.
Bang Khla Food and Fruit Fair
When: 23 – 27 March 2017 (TBA)
Where: Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao. Central Thailand
TAT states: Farmers and growers in Chacheongsao will host their annual Mango Festival, where the delicious fruit and other produce will be on sale and display. The local TAT office will be helping to promote agro-tourism in the area by providing information on where visitors can visit mango orchards, fish, deer, and ostrich farms. Visitors can also take boat rides along the Bangprakong River to see various historical and natural sites.
Elephant Satoke Fair
When: Annual March (TBA)
Where: Lampang Elephant Conservation Centre, Lampang Province. Northern Thailand
This annual fair is held on National Thai Elephant Day to raise funds for the care and upkeep of Thailand’s favorite animal, the Elephant Fair has been organized by the Thai Elephants Conservation Centre every year since 1996. The Satoke banquet will feature a khantoke Northern-style meal in an exotic setting, with elephant shows and even concerts performed by the talented pachyderms. Other activities include the Satoke parade, the feeding of the elephants, cultural performances and folk music. Every ticket purchased comes with a coupon you redeem for bananas which you can feed to your favorite elephants
For more details, contact the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre at (054) 229 042.
For more on the National Thai Elephant Day, including the importance of elephants to both Buddhism and Hinduism and more click here
Dok Lam Duan Flower & Four Tribes Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Annually March (10 -12 March 2017)
Where: Princess Mother Memorial Park Si Sa Ket Eastern Thailand
This annual event (also simply known as the Dok Lamduan Festival งานเทศกาลดอกลำดวน), is two festivals for the price of one and contains cultural performances by four local ethnic groups, surrounded by a forest of lumduan trees in full bloom. These intriguing cream-coloured and fragrant flowers are only found in this one province in the kingdom and only bloom in March
The cultural performances depict the culture and way of life of the local ethnic Lao, Khmer, Kui or Suay, and Yoe (pronounced Yer) tribal peoples in reenactments of Sisaket’s history. There is also a photo exhibition, drawings by local artists, a drawing contest and a great variety of engaging live demonstrations, and sales of local village products. Plus this is your chance to try true Isaan food such as som tam (papaya salad), kai yang (grilled chicken) and khaoniaow (sticky rice) plus a host of other local delicacies served in the food plaza.
For more click here to see our post
Prap Ho Monument Fair & Anou Savari Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Annually 5 – 15th March
Where: Ban Mo, Si Chiang Mai, Nong Khai
Prap Ho Monument Fair is held annually in March, at the Prap Ho Monument and incorporates the Anou Savari Festival.
The event commemorates the defeat of the “Hau”, the ‘Punti’ speaking people of Yunnan Province southwest China who had rebelled against their own government and who swept into Thailand during the years 1884 – 1886 (Around the time of the opening of hostilities of the Sino-French War), these forces at one stage raided as far south as Korat. (Nakhon Ratchasima) They were eventually defeated by the Thai leader HRH Kromamune Prachak Silpakom and his Siamese army with the help of Lao, Chinese, Puan and a number of British fighters.
Located in front of the old city hall, the Prap Ho monument is a memorial to those who fell during the insurgency and contains their cremated bones. There are inscriptions in Thai, English, Chinese and Laotian on each side of the monument.
The fair has a number of stages to host numerous shows of the local culture, and musicians. While the noise maybe deafening, the fun is infectious, with games and competitions including the very quick and acrobatic Takraw, a kind of volleyball using the feet and a smallish rattan ball, along with a mass of stalls and booths selling all manner of food, drinks and local handicrafts.
For more on the Hau of the past and as they are sometimes referred to today ‘The Chinese Hill Tribe’ click here
ASEAN Barred Ground Dove Festival
Picture from http www.pnylink.com
When: Annually first weekend of March
Where: Khwan Mueang Park, Mueang District, Yala
Also known as the ASEAN Java Songbird Contest (งานมหกรรมแข่งขันนกเขาชวาเสียงอาเซียน), this annual event, now in its 37th year, is normally held on the first weekend of March. It is widely believed that Java Songbirds are good-luck charms that bring good luck to their owners, especially if the birds possess certain characteristics.
In this event, participating Javanese doves compete to make the sweetest and most melodious cooing sounds. The doves are judged by their melody; the loudness of their cooing, and the pitch. For a dove to be prized, its cooing must be resonant and rhythmic, and it must be able to sing for a relatively long time. Good cooing doves can command a high price in the market. There are other contests to find the most beautiful cage and demonstrations of cage-making, displaying the local wisdom of Yala.
Bangkok Red Cross Fair
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Possibly 28th March – 4th April Normal hours are 14:00-23:00 (weekdays), 10:00-23:00 (weekends)
Where: Bangkok: The venue of the fair covers the areas and roads around the equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn, Miksakawan intersection and Benjamabopit Temple.
The fair takes place every year to raise funds for the Thai Red Cross society. The fair is really in two distinct parts with one section dealing with the important things the Red Cross do for local communities and the other section of the event contains the fun bit, with a colourful and riotous traditional Thai Fair with its own big wheel and rides for all ages, along with a host of other fairground attractions. It is also here where you will find a mass of stalls selling delicious food and drink from all over the Kingdom
Click here for more on what makes this fair so important to the people of Bangkok, plus directions
Power Tiller Races
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When : Annually March (TBA)
Where : Kamphaeng Phet. Upper center Thailand
The country’s top power tiller racers let the mud fly come harvest time in March, squaring off in the annual Thailand Power Tiller Race. Tiller racing has long been a popular pastime in many rice-growing provinces, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that it became a national competition.
Competitions feature champions from neighbouring countries such as Cambodia to compete against Thailand’s best. It may lack the pace of Formula1, but power tiller racers are required to work in teams of two – a driver and a wheel-man – to navigate their diesel-powered field-churning machines around a course of deep, sticky mud. For a sneak preview click on You Tube
Art of Salt Festival
Now in its 5th year this event shows how salt has played its part in the Kingdoms past and present
WHEN: 10 March 2017 – 12 March 2017 all-day
WHERE: Sor Sor 2021 Road, Bang Kaew Village, Ban Laem district, Phetchaburi
The Festival
Each year in March, the salt industry celebrates its own achievements in a 3 day and night festival, that amongst other things features numerous educational displays as well as the work of local artists in sculptures made from salt. Added to these at times strange and bizarre displays are numerous demonstrations of the art making salt, art workshops, plus a host of games and entertainment.
Visitors can also drop by at the Ban Laem Salt Museum, to glimpse the history and background of this largest salt farm in Thailand. Of course this would not be Thailand, if the event was not crammed with all manner of vendors, selling a multitude of local handicrafts and delicious food from around the province.
For more on the festival and how salt has played a part in Thai culture click here
Lanna Giant Drums and Wai Sa Phra Buddha Bata Tak Pha
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: Annually in March Lamphun
Where: Phra Buddha Bata Tak Pha Temple, Pa Sang District Lamphun
The festival “Lanna Giant Drums and Wai Sa PHra Buddha Bata Tak Pha” was first held in 2001 with the aim of preserving Lanna cultures. The word ‘Sa’ means worship in the Northern dialect. In the festival, there are parades including Phon Leb traditional dance, Giant Water Bowl (Salung Luang), Sacred Water and the official parade with Sabad Chai and Mong Cherng Drums. These parades begin from the entrance to the temple into the Ubosot in order to bathe the Buddha’s footprints with sacred water in accordance with the tradition. Moreover, there are drum contests involving Sabad Chai, Mong Cherng and Luang Drums as well as other forms of entertainment.
More at http://www.lamphun.go.th/officialwebsite/2013/?page_id=3545
Prachuap Khiri Khan Tourism Festival and Red Cross Fair 2017
Thailand Festivals March 2017
When: 1st March 2017
Where: Bay Prachuap and District Memorial Park. Khiri Khan Province
While the event name is quite a mouthful, this annual festival, (previously held over a number of days), is really two events in one; Khiri Travel Wonders III relates to the opportunity for visitors to explore the three bays, their islands and the surrounding mountains, that are the town’s crowning feature, while the second is the traditional Thai Fair. Traditional Thai Fairs have been taking place for centuries within the Kingdom, normally within temple grounds giving the local people the chance to meet new and old friends and sell their produce.
Opening Ceremony and Procession
The festivities include a grand opening ceremony, held at the town hall, (That’s what TAT would have you believe. but I’m afraid this is the boring part of most of the festivals in Thailand, as it is when local dignitaries will to often hog the microphone while the public shuffle about waiting for the fun to start). This is followed by colourful parade, featuring the many different people of all eight districts of the province, attired in traditional clothes and accompanied by numerous musicians.
See more on the event in our POST
Tao Music & Underwater Festival
Thailand Festivals March 2017
WHEN: 28 March 2017 – 30 March 2017
WHERE: Ko Tao, Surat Thani
TAT states in their article on this event that; Ko Tao, a popular island in the Gulf of Thailand, is the venue for the 2nd Tao Music & Underwater Festival – a cultural, artistic and eco-friendly event which will take place over three days, from 28-30 March, 2017. Best of all, proceeds from the event will go towards protecting the local environment on and off-shore.
The festival will offer a mix of music and styles from Thai and Myanmar’s best modern Indy bands to abstract Hip-Hop, Electro and House. There will also be dance music, performances, visual arts, graffiti contests and so much more to ensure this eco-friendly party pleases everyone.
This year’s Tao Music & Underwater Festival will include a special tribute to His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The musical programme on the second night (29 March) will feature famous Thai artists and the their performances will be enhanced by photo and video projections tracing the history of Thailand and the legacy of H.M. the Late King.
There will also be a focus on green energy and power with initiatives set up to save energy and protect the local environmental and ecosystem of this lovely island
Info provided by TAT Surat Thani Office +66 (0) 7728 8817-9
[wp-review id=”25863″]
Visitor Rating: 5 Stars