If you visit Chanthaburi in eastern Thailand you may notice rabbit emblems popping up all over the city. They are present on street signs, shop-fronts and hotel logos. But why are they there?
Chanthaburi translates as ‘moon city’. In Thai folklore a rabbit (or hare) is closely associated with the moon and as such, the animal has become a symbol of Chanthaburi. A rabbit and a representation of the moon feature on the official provincial seal of Chanthaburi.
In Thai, Monday is ‘wan chan‘ (‘wan jan‘) which translates as ‘day of the moon’. Monday is associated with the colour yellow and according to local belief, yellow is considered a lucky colour for the people from the ‘city of the moon’, Chanthaburi.
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