Chak Phra

Chak Phra

At the start of the eleventh lunar month (usually in October) the locals celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent with the Chak Phra Festival (literally translated “the procession of hauling the Buddha image”), which symbolizes the Buddha’s return to earth after a monsoon season spent preaching to his mother in heaven. The significance of the tradition relates to both religious beliefs and monarchy.

As the monks have been confined to their monasteries for three months, the end of Lent is also the time to give them generous offerings. “Tak Bat Devo” is a ceremony practiced in the central Thailand, while in the South the people organize the Chak Phra Festival to be assured the rain pouring seasonally. Also, the belief in Naga as mythical figure which offers water may give influence to the tradition. It explains why tugboats or land sleigh-like floats for pulling Buddha image are colorfully decorated with huge Naga figures, or possibly carved the alter in the form of Naga figures to bearing Buddha images. The folks call it “Nom” or “Phanom Phra”.  

The locals prepare offerings which are called “Bud”, or glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and wrapped in banana leaves. The boats and floats are hauled across the river and through the streets. The youngsters might beat drum to raise joyfulness. Sometimes they water to each other when pulling the Buddha Images in the river, and celebrate until night before hauling the boats back to the temples. To ensure the event’s splendour, local communities in Songkla province join in decorating floral floats on boats and trucks. These elaborately-decorated floats of the Buddha image procession will also take part in the contest at Samila beach during the annual celebration.

The River Chak Phra festival in Surat Thani becomes the biggest celebration. The locals celebrate its own unique version, the tradition is called “Phum Pha Pa” or offerings on tree branches in front of houses, schools and office buildings the night before. The hanging of offerings is a celebration of each family. A piece of cloth is used by a monk to gather the offerings, or “Pha Bung Sakul”, with food and dessert, particularly “Kanom Tom”, flour with coconut filling. They also attentively decorate the town with beautifully-packed lights and paintings depicting the life story of Buddha. At present, the municipality becomes responsible to hand over the celebration.

ศรีศักร วัลลิโภดม และคณะ.(2544). โครงการวิจัยเรื่องประเพณีสิบสองเดือน : พิธีกรรมที่เปลี่ยนไป. (2544). กรุงเทพฯ: ศูนย์มานุษวิทยาสิรินธร. (in Thai)