End of October means the end of the three-month Buddhist Lent period, and that means devotees nationwide are celebrating the occasion in numerous ways.
In the Central provinces, the Tak Bat The Wo is, in brief, an alms giving ritual in remembrance of the Lord Buddha’s journey back from heaven that takes place at several hilltop temples. Hundreds of monks line up to walk down the hill and receive food or flowers from the merit-making crowds. Probably the biggest gathering is at Wat Sagaswattanakhiri in Uthai Thani, taking place on the morning of Oct 31, while the ritual is also carried out at Wat Phra Puttabat in Saraburi on the same day, and at Wat Khao Dee Salak in Saphanburi on Nov 1. If you want to be part of the festivities, wake up early as most start around 6am.

In Nong Khai, Oct 29-31 sees the annual Naga Fireball (Bung Fai Phaya Nak) Festival, where big crowds gather to watch hundreds of glowing orbs mysteriously rise up out of the Mekong River and disappear into the full moon sky. The surrounding festivities include long-tail boat races and sound and light shows.

Further east in Nakhon Phanom is the Lai Ruea Fai Festival, one of the largest events in the region, taking place from Oct 23-31. The biggest day is Oct 30 when villagers from every district form an illuminated boat procession as a tribute to Lord Buddha’s footprint, which they believe lies beneath the Mekong River. For more information on all the festivities, call the TAT Contact Center on 1672 or visit www.tourismthailand.org