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Venue: Saraburi Province (107 km north
of Bangkok)
Located 107 km to the north of Bangkok, Saraburi
is one of the provinces in Thailand that have high potential
for tourism, due to its wonderful natural attractions, rich
diversity of arts and culture, and a wide range of activities. |
 Saraburi
is only 1.5 hours’ drive from Bangkok, therefore
a one day trip is possible. However, many people would
stay overnight to enjoy most activities and attractions.
In 2008, the province has made a travel
calendar to promote tourism in the area. Listed below
are events and activities to be held throughout the year.
January:
- Thailand Milk Cow Fair (25 Jan – 3 Feb)
- Saraburi Red Cross Fair (28 Dec – 6 Jan)
A replica of the
Buddha's footprint covered
with gold leaf.
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February:
- Paying Homage to the Buddha’s Footprint at
the Famous Phra Buddhabat Temple in the
3rd Month of the Lunar Calendar
(15
days around Feb and Mar)*
- Wianthian Ceremony on Maghapuja Day (18 –
21 Feb)
March:
- Paying Homage to the Buddha’s Footprint in
the 4th Month of the Lunar Calendar
(8 days around Mar and Apr)*
- Taro and Phakwan Vegetable Fair (7 – 9 Mar)
- Saraburi Food and Souvenir Fair (28 Mar –
3 Apr)
- Producers and Consumers Fair (Last week of March)
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April:
- Saohai Songkran Festival (23 Apr)
- Saraburi traditional New Year Festival (13 –15
Apr)
May:
- Agricultural Fair (1 – 5 May)
- Thong Fa Fair (Last week of May)
- Visakhapuja Festival (13 – 19 May)
June:
- Muak Lek Family Adventure (28 – 29 Jun)
July:
- Tak Bat Dok Mai Festival (16 – 18 Jul)
- Producers and Consumers Fair (Last week of July)
August:
- OTOP Fair (August)
September:
- HRH Princess Sirindhorn’s Royal Cup Long-Boat
Races (28 – 29 Sep)
October:
- Khao Tom Luk Yon Festival (15 Oct)
- HRH the Crown Prince Vachiralongkorn’s Royal Cup
Long-Boat Races (23 Oct)
Sunflower
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November:
- Sunflower Festival (Nov – Jan)
- Cowboy Night (Last week of November)
December
- Thai-Yuan Yi Peng Festival (12 Nov)
- Music in the Garden (Dec)
- Sunflower Festival (Dec)
* For dates depending on the Thai lunar
calendar, please check with TAT before traveling.
For more information, please contact
The Tourism Authority of Thailand Central Office Region
7 on tel. +66 (0) 3642 2768 to 9 |
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Visakha
Puja: One of the world’s important days |
19 May 2008
Venue: Nationwide |
A mural of Phuttha Prathip Temple,
London, describes the scene in which
an army of devils are trying to deter the
Lord Buddha from gaining enlightenment but
the Goddess of
Earth is producing a large amount of water
to flood them away. |
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“Visakha
Puja” are Pali words meaning “worship
(Puja) in the sixth lunar month (Visakha)”.
Actually, worship is not held in the whole month,
but only on the full-moon day of the month, which
roughly corresponds to May. And this is done to
commemorate the Birth, Enlightenment and passing
of the Buddha on that day.
It is a very rare coincidence
that all the three important events in the Buddha’s
life should have occurred on the same day in different
years. But according to Buddhist scriptures, the
Buddha was born on the full-moon day of the 6th
lunar month of the year 623 B.C., attained enlightenment
on the full-moon day of the 6th lunar month of the
year 588 B.C., and passed into nirvana on the full-moon
day of the 6th lunar month of the year 543 B.C.
The observance of Visakha Puja in Thailand started
more than 700 years ago when Sukhothai was Thailand’s
capital. The tradition is believed to have come
from Sri Lanka where King Bhatikraj held a grandscale
ceremony in 123 B.C. to mark the day for the first
time. And this has been done yearly up to now.
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During the Sukhothai period, Thailand
maintained a very close relationship with Sri Lanka in
the field of Buddhism. Buddhist monks came from Sri Lanka
continually to teach Buddhism in this country, bringing
with them the Visakha Puja ceremony among other things.
| According to a book
about Nang Nopphamat, a famous court lady of Sukhothai,
the ceremony was a three-day event participated by
the king, the nobility, the court official and the
general public. The capital was swept clean and decorated
with flowers and lanterns. On the full-moon evening,
the king led a procession walking round the royal
temple, each person carrying a lighted candle in hand. |
In a mural at Suwannaram Temple, Bangkok,
Prince Siddhartha is shown having his head
shaved befort his ordination as a monk.
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The other activities included observing the precepts, listening
to sermons, giving food to Buddhist monks, donating money
for the relief of the poor, the orphans, the old and the
disabled, releasing turtles, fish and birds. However, throughout
the hundreds of years from the Ayutthaya period, Thon Buri
period up to the beginning of the Bangkok period, there
was no record whatever about Visakha Puja. Apparently this
tradition had somehow been neglected. After King Rama II
ascended the throne in 1809 the Visakha Puja ceremony was
revived and the participation of the public was urged as
a way to prolong their lives and to get rid of tribulation
of all kinds.
Today, Visakha Puja is one of the four
official holidays of Thailand related to Buddhism. On
December 15, 1999, Visakha Puja Day was declared by the
United Nations to be one of the world’s important
days.
And the main feature of the ceremony
is still the evening walk round a temple. In recent years,
the most important of such walks has been held around
the Walking Buddha at Phuttha Monthon, led by a member
of the Royal Family. This year Visakha Puja Day falls
on May 19, 2008.
Visakha
Puja at Nakhon Ratchasima
1 May – 1 June 2008
Venue: MCC Hall 3rd fl., The Mall Nakhon Ratchasima,
Nakhon Ratchasima Province (259 km northeast of
Bangkok)
Activities
- Paying homage to the Buddha’s relics from
a Thai Temple in India and from 9 temples in Thailand
- Exhibition of heaven and hell
- Applying gold leaf to 9 Buddha images
- Listening to sermons from famous Thai monks
- A 9-minute meditation for the King and Queen
- Etc.
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Devout Buddhists
give food to the
monks on Visakha Puja Day. |
For more information, please call the
Tourism Authority of Thailand Northeastern Office Region
1 on tel. +66 (0) 4421 3666 or (0) 4421 3030.
Visakha Puja at Thepsirin
Temple
17-19 May 2008 (10.00-22.00 hrs)
Venue: Thepsirin Temple, Bangkok
Activities:
- Light & sound presentation
- Suntra chanting contests
- Lantern, flower tray, and altar arrangements contest
- Listening to sermons
- A temple tour & paying homage to sacred objects
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Krachiao
Blossom Festival |
Venue: Pa Hin
Ngam National Park and Sai Thong National Park, Chaiyaphum
Province
1 June - 31 August 2008 |
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 Chaiyaphum
Province (342 km northeast of Bangkok) in cooperation
with The Tourism Authority of Thailand would like to invite
you to appreciate the beauty of the province’s seasonal
flower “Krachiao” which is now in full bloom.
Krachiao or curcuma is in the ginger family and is widely
found in Pa Hin Ngam National Park of Thep Sathit County
and Sai Thong National Park of Nong Bua Raheu County.
During the rainy season, the flower blooms in abundance
and carpets the forest in Pa Hin Ngam National Park with
its mauve and pinkish colours.
Besides enjoying the flowers and beautiful surroundings,
travelers can visit the Phang Hoei viewpoint, which commands
a fine panoramic view of the Central Plains and the Northeast.
Lan Hin Ngam, a nearby area full of beautiful stone formations
in different shapes and sizes and Sai Thong Waterfall
are other recommended places for the trip.
The province has also prepared interesting activities
for visitors such as a rock climbing, car rally, mini
half marathon, OTOP product shopping, and cultural performances.
For more details, please contact Chaiyaphum Public Relations
Office on tel. +66(0) 4482 2502 or The Tourism Authority
of Thailand Northeastern Office Region 1 on tel. +66(0)
4421 3666
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First
Time in Thailand - the 2008 Olympic Slalom Canoe Qualifying
Competition |
17-18 May 2008
Venue: Kaeng Thiam (Artificial Rapids), Khundan Prakanchon
Dam, Muang County, Nakhon Nayok Province |
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 The
preliminary and final rounds of the 2008 Olympic Slalom
Canoe Qualifying Competition will be held at Kaeng Thiam
or artificial rapids in Khundan Prakanchon Dam, Nakhon
Nayok Province on 17 and 18 May 2008. The matches are
set to select the paddlers from 38 Asian countries to
compete with other nations in the 2008 Olympic in Beijing,
China.
The competitions are divided into 4 types as follows:
- K-1 Slalom, Men
- K-1 Slalom, Women
- C-1 Slalom, Men
- C-2 Slalom, Men
 Tourists
can watch the rare competitions while making a trip to
attractions in Nakhon Nayok within one or two day. For
more information, please call the Tourism Authority of
Thailand Central Office Region 8 on tel. +66 (0) 3731
2282, (0) 3731 2284.
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The
44th Prachin Buri’s Agri Fair and the Agro-tourism
Trip |
22 May –
1 June 2008
Venue: In front of King Rama V Monument, Muang County, Prachin
Buri Province (135 km northeast of Bangkok) |
|  Being
one of the most fertile provinces of Thailand, Prachin
Buri has produced plenty of high quality tropical fruits.
Examples of seasonal fruits available during this period
are durians, mangosteens, rambutants, pomelos and santols.
The province is also famous for its agricultural products
like bamboo, ornamental plants, and herbs.
During May, which is just the right time to visit Prachin
Buri, the province boasts its most beautiful landscape
and best agro products. Apart from fruit shopping, there
are a number of interesting activities like exhibitions,
entertainment, Thai massage, fruit contests, and fruit
buffet at 50 Baht/person.
On Saturday 24 May, there is an agro-tourism trip, a
special trip to see orchards and ways of life of people
in agricultural communities. The participants will be
divided into 3 categories according to their means of
transport: mountain bike, ordinary bicycle, and car (VIP).
Along the agro-tourism route, applicants can enjoy eating
the free, freshly picked fruits (VIPs are expected to
pay for them) as well as the natural environment on both
sides. To apply for the trip, please contact The Tourism
Authority of Thailand Central Office Region 8. Application
fees are 200 Baht for mountain bike and ordinary bicycle,
and 500 Baht for VIP.
The province also offers a free transport service from
and to Bangkok’s train station (Hua Lamphong-Prachin
Buri). The train departs from Hua Lamphong station at
5 a.m. and arrives in Prachin Buri at 8.45 a.m.
For more details, please contact the Tourism Authority
of Thailand Central Office Region 8 on tel. +66 (0) 3731
2282, 3731 2284. |
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