Khom Fai Fire Lanterns
In Thailand, fire lanterns known as khom fai are sometimes released into the night sky to mark special occasions because it is believed the lanterns carry away troubles and bad luck. Traditionally, the release of khom fai was a northern Thai tradition, but the practice has since expanded to other parts of Thailand. From the [...]
Do They Celebrate Christmas in Thailand?
Christmas isn’t an official public holiday in Thailand with only a small minority of the Thai population being Christian. However, T.I.T. (This Is Thailand) and so at this time of year hotel staff can be seen wearing Christmas hats whilst shopping centres and malls get decked out with decorations. Christmas trees appear amongst the palm [...]
Wearing Pink for the King
This weekend sees the culmination of festivities for the King of Thailand’s 82nd birthday. The celebrations have been extended and have given the Thai people the opportunity to pay their respects to the king. Many Thai people have been wearing pink shirts because pink has become a colour associated with His Majesty’s good health. Tens [...]
Bangkok Airport to Move ‘Demon Statues’
Officials at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi international airport have confirmed they will be moving a number of giant statues from the arrivals hall to the international check-in area. Local press in Thailand are reporting that the figures are being moved in response to complaints from airport staff who blame the ‘demon statues’ for bringing bad luck. The [...]
Releasing Animals to Make Merit
In Thailand, many Buddhists believe that releasing animals back into the wild can help an individual to accrue merit. The act of releasing animals has its roots in the traditional rural communities. In the dry season, rice fields and small ponds would dry out and some fish, turtles and other aquatic creatures would become trapped [...]
Lucky Day
With nine being a lucky number in Thailand, today’s date 09/09/09, is regarded as a particularly auspicious day. The official calendar in Thailand counts the years according to the Buddhist Era (B.E.) which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar so the current year is 2552. However, the Gregorian calendar is also used and [...]
The Thai Flag
Thai people are very patriotic and the Thai national flag can be seen on display just about everywhere in Thailand. It isn’t just government buildings that fly the flag because it can be seen on boats, tuk-tuks, roadside stalls, private businesses and private homes. The flags may sometimes be slightly damaged or faded by exposure [...]
