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Poi Sang Long Procession
is in fact the celebration of novice ordination
which the Thai Yai tribe people hold to be a highly
meritorious occasion. Traditionally, the candidate-novice,
his head cleanly shaven and wrapped with head-cloth
in the Burmese style, will don a prince-like garment
and put on valuable jewels and gems, and ride
a horse or be carried over the shoulders of a
man to the city shrine. On the ordination eve,
a procession of offerings and other necessary
personal belongings will be paraded through the
town streets and then placed at the monastery
where the ordination will take place the next
day. It is usually held during March-May before
the Buddhist Rain Retreat period.
Chong Phara Procession
The Chong Phara in the Thai Yai dialect means
a castle made of wood, covered with colourful
perforated papers and decorated with fruits, flags
and lamps. It is placed in the courtyard of a
house or a monastery as a gesture to welcome the
Lord Buddha on his return from giving sermons
to his mother in heaven, according to traditional
belief. Other activities to celebrate the occasion
include dances where performers are dressed in
animal costumes. The rite is held during the post
rain retreat season from the full-moon day of
the 11 the Lunar month (around October) to the
waxing moon night of the same month.
Bua Tong Blossom Festival
Each year in November, the hillsides of Khun Yuam
and Mae Sariang districts are filled with a host
of golden Bua Tong Blooms. As gay as a daisy and
almost as large as a sunflower, the Bua Tong only
blossoms for a month.
At Doi Mae U-Kho, the blossoms
appear profusely. Finally, the golden blooms become
part of the scene. Some specialists have classified
these Bua Tong as weeds and because of this, they
may be cleared to make way for cash crops. Fortunately
a group of researchers have discovered the flower’s
insect-repellent properties. And perhaps that
is why the Bua Tong, a symbol of Mae Hong Son,
is still preserved on the hillsides.
Loi Krathong Festival,
Loi Krathong Festival is held on the full moon
night in the month of November every year. Villagers
make “krathongs” to float in rivers.
At Nong Chong Kham, various entertainments and
a contest of large krathongs are held near the
central pond. Lamps and candles are lit all around
the area. Moreover, at Wat Phra That Doi Kong
Mu, there is a ceremony of releasing candle-lit
krathongs bound with balloons to the sky (known
as “Loi Krathong Sawan”).
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