The
Complete
Year

There are a large number of events and festivals in Nong Khai Town throughout the year.

What follows is a snapshot summary for each of the more important ones, telling you its date how long it lasts. The dates given are the best we know... do bear in mind that they frequently change from year to year with the Buddhist lunar calendar, and sometimes we are given inaccurate information...

For more detailed information on each one, simply click on its photograph or title.


The Anou Savari Festival

The Anou Savari Festival is a large street fair and festival unique to Nong Khai and is to celebrate the ending of the "Hau" rebellions in the 1880's. This year it takes place from the 5th to the 16th of March.

It will start just after Maka Bucha day. This year Maka Bucha day will be on Thursday, 21st of February, 2008. This is one of the most important Buddhist holidays, which commemorates the day all of the original 1,250 monks previously ordained by Buddha came back to see him on the night of the third Lunar Month.


Song Kran

Song Kran is the Thai new year, which, just to confuse you, takes place from the 12th to the 15th of April 2008. The actual new year's day is the 13th of April. Nong Khai is one of the government sponsored sites for Song Kran, also known as the water festival, when everything and everyone gets splashed. Traditionally it was the day that Buddha images were cleaned.

Rocket Festivals

Rocket Festivals take place in May, June, and sometimes July. Traditionally, these enormous rockets are sent up during the day time to encourage the clouds to water the paddy fields. One of the biggest starts on Visakha Puja day (Buddha's birth and enlightenment day) here in Nong Khai. The first day is marked by a magnificent parade (no rockets are fired on holy days) and subsequent days see nearly a hundred blast offs. This year Visakha Puja day will be on Monday, 19th May 2008 and the festival goes on for about a week.


The Candle Festival

The annual Candle Festival is a beautiful street parade which takes place on the day before the beginning of Buddhist Lent. Huge candles are built in the grounds of Wat Chayaporn on the days prior to the festival. On the day of the festival they are paraded on floats through the streets, accompanied by dancing girls, boys in their traditional Siamese costumes and middle aged devotees in their white robes. This year the the Candle Festival will take place on Thursday, 17th July 2008.

Rowing Festivals

Rowing practice, for the young lads from the parishes of the riverbank temples, starts when the first (and holiest) three weeks of Buddhist Lent (Paan Saa) are over. The Rowing Festivals take place on the Maekong river, with a crew numbering around 30. There will be rowing festivals on Saturday, 30th of August and Sunday 14th of September. Around Friday, 10th of October 2008 will be the biggest Rowing Festival of the year for Okk Paan Saa (the end of Buddhist Lent), which this year will be on and around Tuesday, 14th of October 2008. The smaller festivals last about 3 days and the larger ones for about 5 days.


The Maekong Fireballs

The strange appearance of the Maekong Fireballs takes place on the last night of Buddhist Lent. Visible from several points along the river bank, the most famous place to see them, where sightings are reputedly most numerous, is at Phon Phisai, 40 km to the east of Nong Khai town. These strange pink objects, which arise noiselessly from the river after dusk, are visible on this night only, which this year will be on Tuesday, 14th of October 2008. The festival surrounding this event will last from the 10th to the 16th of October.
See the Nagarina Riverboat trip to the Maekong Fireballs...Click here.


The Chinese Dragon Festival

What should more properly be called the Chinese Ceremonial Lion Festival, will start on Saturday 1st of November this year. A wonderful display of dancing Chinese lions, climbing greasy bamboo poles, drums and parades... each Chinese business in town is blessed for the coming year. The main procession will be on the first day. Festivities continue for around ten days. On the last day there is a closing ceremony in the afternoon.


Loy Kratong

The second most important festival in the Thai calendar, is the placing of Kratong... small floating shrines made of bamboo leaves ...on water as a blessing and to ask for luck for the coming year. As Nong Khai is on the Maekong river, this is extra special here. This year Loy Kratong will take place on Wednesday, 12th of November 2008.


The King's Birthday

Mut Mee holds "A Barbecue For A King" which is a large vegetarian and non-vegetarian barbecue down on the riverbank on the evening of Friday, 5th December 2008.

Christmas and New Year

Mut Mee will hold a large Christmas party on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, 24th of December 2008. This is a large buffet with a local cultural performance of traditional mime and dance. For New Year we will organise a big barbecue down on the river bank with items suitable for both carnivores and vegetarians on the night of the Wednesday, 31st of December 2008.
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