Wan Ok Phansa 2024 in Thailand

The Buddhist Lent lasts for three months and traditionally coincides with the rainy season. The Wan Ok Phansa festival falls on the last day of the Lent. Typically, the festival is set to take place in October, and it commemorates the day when Buddha came back from heaven. The Thai Buddhists celebrate it with food offerings and visits to the temples. However, the festival includes not only religious aspects but also some events full of adrenaline, such as traditional long-boat races in different regions.

Religious Traditions

Besides being the celebration of the Buddhist Lent culmination, Wan Ok Phansa serves as an opportunity for younger monks to talk openly with their elders, seeking guidance and advice on their religious development. This day is called Maha Pawarana Day. The Thot Kathin ceremony is another festival practice during which Buddhists come with various offerings to the temples to showcase their gratitude to monks. The tradition is usually followed by Pah Pa ceremony, during which Buddhist monks are offered clothes.

Light Boat Parades

Different temples from each village often build bamboo boats and decorate them with lights and candles. Even families build their own banana tree trunk boats and take part in the procession! A truly beautiful scene that will stay in your memory like a warm and peaceful moment. Visitors can enjoy the illuminated boat parade on the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom, where boats are decorated with lanterns and Buddhist symbols. Besides Nakhon Phanom, the sight can be seen all over Northeast Thailand, including Bueng Kan and Loei.

Other Events

There are also street parades and various festivities on this day. In another city by the Mekong, Nong Khai, the Naga Fireballs Festival dedicated to a mythical creature that lives in this river. Sakon Nakon in Isan region holds the amazing wax castles festival and procession.

Naga Fireball Festival (October 19–20, 2024)

The Naga Fireballs Festival, named after a reported natural phenomenon, is usually held during Wan Ok Phansa and the days after it. It is said that glowing orbs rise up from the waters of the Mekong River at the end of Buddhist Lent. The phenomenon can be explained by the marshy environment of the river and methane exhausts causing the orbs to appear. No matter the reason, each year, people flock to the banks of Mekong River to experience the sight and various activities, such as boat racing, fireworks, and float parades.