|
Festival &
Events
Phuket Vegetarian
Festival
is held
from the first through the ninth nights of the ninth Chinese lunar month;
that is,
in September or October. It was first celebrated in
1825, when a troupe of actors
enacted these rites toward off a
plague. Vegetarian food is eaten by participants and
white
clothes worn during the period of the fest. Self utilization is practiced
by those
whose bodies become the temporary residence of powerful
gods. Parades of
worshippers brave fireworks while carrying
images through the street; others walk on
fire or climb bladed
ladders. Participants number in the thousands. The whole forms
one of the most bizarre festivals in
Thailand.
Por Tor
Festival
This is
an ancestor's festival of the ethnic Chinese that falls on the seventh
Chinese
lunar month, which is the same as the ninth lunar month
of the Thais. Special foods,
flowers and candles are presented to
the ancestor's altars. Cakes in the shape of turtles
are made
from flour. This is done because turtles live to great age and it is
believed that
by making such offering worshippers may extend the
length of their lives. It is an
important merit-making
festival.
Thao Thep
Krasatri-Thao Sri Suntorn Festival
is held
on 13 March yearly in memory of the two heroines who led the defense of
the
island against the Burmese in 1785.
Laguna Phuket
Triathlon
This annual year end event sees the world's top triathletes
and hundreds of amateurs
competing for prize money and placing on
the world triathlon circuit. The course, which
includes swimming,
bicycling, and running through the beautiful natural surroundings of
Laguna Phuket in Tambon Choeng Thale, takes from two-and-a-half to
five hours to
complete.
Turtle Release
Fair
is held
on Songkran, the nationwide Thai water festival, on April 13. It is also
the
National Fisherman's Day. Baby turtles are released into the
sea at various locations.
Tourist Season Opening Festival
is usually
called the Patong Carnival in English according to from the place where
celebrations occur, and is held on November 1. There are many
stalls with
merchandise and food, parades, sports event, and a
beauty competition for foreign
tourists. The fest is held to
cement solidarity among the government, the private business
sector, and the people.
Chao Le Boat Floating
Festival
falls
during the middle of the sixth and eleventh lunar months yearly. The fest
is held
at the Chao Le, or Sea Gipsy, villages in Phuket. The
Rawai and Sapam villages hold
their ceremonies on the 13th; Sire
village celebrates on the 14th; and the village at
Laem La (east
of the bridge on Phuket's northern tip) celebrates on the 15th.
Ceremonies, which center around the setting adrift of small boats
similar to the Thai
Festival of Loy Krathong, are held at night
and their purpose is to drive away evil and
to bring good luck.
Fingernail clipping and strands of hair are put in the little boats
before being released, along with little dolls fashioned from wood.
Afterwards, the
villagers perform their famous dance round their
own boats, called the Ram Rong
Ngeng.
Phuket King's Cup
Regatta
was
first held in 1987 in honor of His Majesty's 60th birthday. The King of
Thailand
is a noted boating enthusiast and yachts come from
around the world to participate in
the competition, which is the
largest and most popular in Southeast Asia. It is held
yearly on
the anniversary of His Majesty's birthday, 5 December. Site of the regatta
is
Nai Han Bay.
|
|
