The Rocket Festival known as Bun Bang Fai takes place throughout much of North-East Thailand and in Laos. Celebrations typically include music and dance performances, competitive float processions and huge homemade rockets. The festival dates change depending on each local area. In Thailand, the Yasothon festival normally takes place on the second weekend of May. The Phanom Phrai District festival takes place on the full moon of the seventh lunar month, and the Suwannaphum District festival takes place on the first weekend of June.
Table of Contents
History
This festival is steeped in Laos folklore and pre-Buddhist fertility rites. Celebrated prior to Rainy Season and the Planting Season, the festival offers an opportunity for fun before the hard farming work begins. Some folklore attached to the festival includes the rockets being fired into the air to please Phaya Thaen; the Frog King who controls the rains, and that the rocket champion will be able to win the hand of queen of the pageant.
Location:
Yasothon, Phanom Phrai, Suwannaphum
Entry Fee: Free.
Date: May – June period.
(Dates vary depending on the province)
Time / Duration:
Three-day weekend event
Location: Ubon Ratchathani’s Festival
(in Yasothon)
Yasothon in Ubon Ratchathani Province is one of the three famous Rocket Festivals in Thailand, which takes place annually over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday weekend that falls in the middle of May. At the start of the festival on Friday, Morlam traditional upbeat music and dance (and general bawdiness) kicks off the celebrations and continues well into the early hours of Monday morning. Saturday is the start of the street parades, with loud music and decorated floats displaying the huge richly decorated rockets. Cross-dressing is also a tradition, so expect to see men dressed up as the opposite sex.
On Sunday the rocket firing and competition begins, with rockets judged on height and distance travelled (with extra points for particularly impressive vapour trails). Impressive as this festival is, danger goes along with it. The rockets have occasionally caused injury and in a few cases, death. Copious amounts of alcohol is consumed also. It’s an electrifying atmosphere but not without risk.
Location: Roi Et’s festival
(in Phanom Prai and Suwannaphum)
Roi Et holds two Bang Fai Festivals in the province. One in Phanom Prai and another in Suwannaphum. Suwannaphum is considered to be the most beautiful Bang Fai festival both in terms of parade and decoration. The festival follows the same outline as the festival in Yasothon.
Video: What to expect
Expect the unexpected and expect wildness! This video below is actually the Boon Bang Fai festival in Vang Vieng, Laos, but expect the same wildness in Thailand.
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