Bun Bang Fai rocket Festival

MAY 13-15, 2008 BUN BANG FAI ROCKET FESTIVAL Phaya Taen Park in Yasothon

The rocket festival, known in Thai as 'Bun Bang Fai,' is an ancient local festival that has been carried out continuously till modern times. It is popularly celebrated in Yasothon, a province in Thailand's northeast, and is usually held in the second week of May.

In Thailand, the month of May is the beginning of the rainy season and farmers are ready to begin planting their rice fields. The festival is associated with traditional beliefs in the supernatural powers that help promote the production of rice crops for the coming planting season.

The legend has it that once there was a rain god named Vassakan who loved to be worshipped with fire. The townspeople created a rocket or 'Bang Fai' to send to heaven, where the god resided. They believed that the god would hear their entreaties and bless them with plentiful rain for rice cultivation. So the celebration is entirely to the god of rain.

Like several other Thai festivals, Buddhist monks would be in attendance for the ceremony. The rockets, launch platforms and other decorations for this event are prepared for several weeks before the actual event. An average rocket is some nine metres in length and carries 20-25 kilograms of gunpowder

Originally the rockets were made out of natural materials, but these days, they are slightly more sophisticated. Rockets are packed with several kilos of gunpowder instead. In order to make the rocket festival much more fun, various competitions for the biggest and highest flying rocket are held, all conducted with the undying Thai spirit of 'sanook'.

On the festival day, rockets are paraded to the launch site. Villagers dress in colorful traditional costumes, playing, teasing and dancing, to accompany the procession.
The climax of the festival is the launch time. The rockets are fired from their launch platforms one by one. Noisy folk music and cheers can be heard for each liftoff. The rocket that reaches the greatest height is declared the winner. The owner of this rocket dances and pushes for rewards from the crowds. The owners of rockets that exploded or failed to fly are thrown in the mud.



YASOTHON HIGHLIGHTS

WAT PHRA SI MAHATHAT TEMPLE

Located within the Yasothon municipality, this is an important temple that has existed since the founding of the original community.


PHRA THAT YASOTHON (also known as Phra That Anond)

This is one of the oldest key stupas in the northeast and enshrines the ashes of Phra Anond. Its architecture reflects the influence of Laotian art that was popular during the late Ayutthaya - early Rattanakosin period.

The Phra That Yasothon sits on a square base each measuring 81 metres and is built of brick and mortar with a tapered mid-section featuring lotus motifs facing up and down. The arches on the four compass points are adorned with standing Buddha images.


KONG KHAO NOI STUPA

Built during the late Ayutthaya period, the Kong Khao Noi Stupa is shaped differently from other chedis or stupas. It takes the form of a "kong khao" or indigenous rice container with an angular structure over a square base.

Legend has it that a young man who had been working the fields since the early morning was furious with his mother because it was noon and she was late in bringing him his lunch. Additionally what food she brought was deemed to be too little to satisfy his appetite. Overcome with rage, he struck his mother and killed her.

After he had eaten his fill, he discovered to his horror, that there was still food left in the container. The young man proceeded to build a chedi or stupa in a gesture of repentence and to seek forgiveness and absolution.

The mid-section is adorned with patterns in the form of arches and the upper part tapers into a peal.


Cottage industries at Ban Si Taan

Following the harvest, the villagers in Yasothon province and the adjacent areas turn to handicraft to supplement their income. The area is famous for triangular- shaped pillows called "Mon Kwan", Lai Khit traditional textiles, intricate wood-carvings particularly miniature traditional carts or "kwian noi", wickerwork and basketry such as the traditional sticky rice containers of I-San called "Kratib".
Ban Nasmai is also known for utensils made from copper.


Agro-gardens and organic farming


Herb gardens at Amphoe Kootsoom district


Culinary highlights
The best known of the local specialties are:

"Pla Som" is a salted carp stuffed with sticky rice that is deep-fried and topped with onions and garlic.

"Lod Chong", or pressed rice vermicelli served with a fresh coconut cream and palm sugar syrup on a bed of crushed ice.