May Festival Guide

Thailand Rocket Festival

Here is your May Festival Guide to all the events in and around the country. So why not come and join in the fun as the Thai people celebrate. Most regions in Thailand have their own brand of entertainment and all foreigners are welcome to join in. Please remember though that not all festivals and events happen on the same day each year. Some have fixed dates and others are determined by the lunar calendar.

Labour Day. May 1st is a public holiday.

Coronation Day. May 5th is a public holiday. A private royal affair.

The Rocket Festival is a May Festival held in the north east of the country where you can witness the launching of locally made missiles of all shapes and sizes. Some of them taller than humans. Could be a lot of fun but nevertheless could also be a little dangerous as well. You never quite know where these rockets are going to land. Not that many tourists get to see this spectacular event as it is not on the most popular tourist route.

May Festival celebrations at the Rocket Festival

May Festival Guide

Normally the minister of agriculture follows behind scooping rice seeds out of buckets, which are held by pretty Thai maidens. He would then sow the seeds into furrows left behind by the ploughs, all the while accompanied by the loud blaring of conch shells and drums.

Visakha Bucha is a May festival and public holiday held on the night of a full moon. It is also Buddhism's holiest day when the Lord Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment and died. All three of the events are said to have happened on the very same day. Devotees make merit by bringing food to the monks in the morning. During the evening candlelit processions as well as sermons, are held around the many temples throughout the country.

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