CHAK PHRA, BUDDHA STATUE PARADE AND YON BUA,
LOTUS FESTIVAL
The southern thai people preserve the ancient tradition
of parading
a statue of the Lord Buddha
through the community once a year. This is common to
all provinces in southern
Thailand, notably at Suratthani, Chumphon, Ranong,
Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhls
and Phattalung. The parade called Chak Phra
may be by boat or on land
depending on the geographical conditions.
On the 13 th day of the waxing moon of the 11 th lunar month, the
inhabitants of Bangphli District
of Samutprakan Province gather together a large
number of lotus flowers.
Early the next morning, people living in the surrounding
areas travel by small boats
into Samrong Canal to accept gifts of lotus flowers
from the citizens of Bangphli.
In the old days. giving and receiving were done gently
from hand to hand, with a
pause to wish each other well. Later, the Bangphli people
began to throw their lotus
to acquaintances. This practice become popular, and the
festival became known as the
yon bua or lotus flowers throwing festival.
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