Postcards from Thailand No. 61 - Chak Phra (Pull a Monk!)
This last week, there has been a local festival to Samui and the Southern areas of Thailand in which floats festooned with Buddhist imagery are pulled along the streets in the hope of encouraging the rain to come as down here, the rainy season starts much later than it does up country.
The streets of Nathorn are closed and a huge street market setup, and for a whole week, the normally sleepy little administrative centre is thonged with music and people.
It is, of course, an ideal opportunity for the island's temples to rake in some funds so in the week previous, each temple drives its sea-themed float around the island, collecting alms and blocking the bloody traffic, before closing Nathorn totally for the day withbabhugebprocession and then putting them on display for the nine days and nine nights of the festival, where again, the monks will tell your fortune, give you a blessing or tie a piece of string around your wrist to keep you safe in return for a few coins.
See where the gypos got their ideas from?
There's a huge stage with music and dancing and for once, not a drop of alcohol in sight but it's the incredible, ornate floats that steal the show. All lit-up at night, they're mesmerising and magical....
...so much so that even cynical old falangs thrown few coins in their buckets!
That's my luck charm bit of string that once fastened around my wrist will allow me to ride my motorcycle at great speed without a helmet with total impunity!
In all seriousness, it's a wonderful night out. I love these huge local festivals we have here. All the locals turn out and make it a real community event. Even some of the stuck-up expats from the posh side of the island make an appearance!
Absolutely my favourite Thai festival and a wonderful way rack up a bucket load of steps!
Hope everyone is having a healthy and happy week and I send my best wishes to all.
Martin
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Looks like a lot of fun 🤩 very vibrant and many people…
Happy Halloween 🎃
It is lovely when all the local community turn out to enjoy the festivities. In Thailand, that means one thing. FOOOOOOOD! lol
Happy Halloween to you too, I'm guessing you wont be getting many trick or treaters lol
And fooooooood is always welcome. I can imagine. Hahaha
We did get some candy and chocolate just in case. I made 4 little baggies…. As I know not that far away there are 2 little boys 9 and 11 -ish years old. And I don’t know the traditions around here…
But no… nobody came around. Will have to eat all the chocolate 🍫 myself 😇 such a chore hahaha 🤣
Everybody needs their lucky bit of wrist string! Looks like a great festival. I hope the rains come!!
String around your wrist, garlands of marigolds and plaster od Paris casting of a famous dead monk on the dashboard. Can't go wrong.
Until someone actually reads the global statistics for road deaths and finds that Thailand is three from the worst, based on the ratio of deaths to population! Imagine if we didn't have the string!
Without the string your would be bottom!! 🤣🤣
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A luck charm (a rope) that allows you ride at a full speed without helmets lol? How much does it cost hahaha?
I think I dropped them 20Baht (65cUSD) in their collecting pot! Thais are very superstitious. Whenever you get in a vehicle, private or a bus, there will be garlands of marigolds and talismans hanging all over the place. They keep believing despite Thailand having the world's third worst road death rate!
Hope you're having the best weekend you can mate :-)
Well that was very generous of you even though you don't seem to complete believe something as that.
I guess they know they have some of the world worst road death rate, but whatever keeps them believing though.
Thanks a million, you too.
I have always wanted to visit such a festival to learn more about culture. Amazing...
Then you know your mission should you choose to accept it! I know its a little further than Delft, but....!!!
Have a great weekend, and thank you :-)
😁 Yea, hopefully here I will find similar festivals like this one in future...
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