Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival in Yasothon
Every year the people from Southeastern Issan gather in Yasothon Province for one of the best festivals in Thailand. Going to Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival in Yasothon is a once in a lifetime experience. To symbolically seed the clouds and bring on the rainy season, people launch dozens of huge rockets into the sky. One rocket can weigh over 100 kilograms and fly for over five minutes.
In addition to the rockets, there are parties, a parade, food, cultural performances, and competitions.
The festival takes place on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the second weekend each May. Every part of the festival takes place in the center of Yasothon city, or in a park on the outskirts.
Day one of Rocket Festival in Yasothon is a Friday. People gather in the afternoon at Phaya Thaen Public Park (สวนสาธารณะพญาแถน). Near the giant toad museum there is a cultural performance with students from different districts performing traditional ...
The history of the Chedi at Wat Raeng (also referred to as Wat Daeng, meaning “Red Temple”) in Suphan Buri, Thailand, is tied to its status as an ancient, abandoned temple from the early Ayutthaya period (roughly 14th–15th century).
Wat Raeng is located south of Wat Sanam Chai in Suphan Buri, Thailand. It is an abandoned temple (wat raang) with no active monastic community, and its primary surviving structure is a single, ancient chedi.
The chedi is a round stupa, characteristic of the early Ayutthaya architectural style. Its base may have originally been octagonal, though severe deterioration makes this uncertain. The chedi’s bell-shaped body (anda) is relatively large compared to earlier U Thong-style stupas, with a throne (baldachin) and ringed spire elements. The topmost part, likely a harmika or finial (the “dewdrop” or jewel), has been lost due to damage over time. The surrounding area is open, surrounded by water, with scattered brick fragments indicating its antiquity.
There are...
Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, also known as Wat Phra Mahathat, is an ancient Buddhist temple located in the old city area of Suphan Buri Province, Thailand, specifically in Rua Yai Subdistrict along the western bank of the Tha Chin River. Its history spans several centuries, blending influences from the Khmer Empire and the Ayutthaya Kingdom, though exact founding details remain unclear due to a lack of definitive historical records.
Origins and Early History
The temple’s origins are believed to trace back to the Khmer period (approximately 11th-13th centuries), during the height of Khmer influence in the region. The central prang (a tower-like stupa) is thought to have been originally constructed as a gopura (gateway tower) during this era, reflecting Khmer architectural styles similar to those seen in Angkor. This structure, made entirely of clay bricks with a plastered exterior, symbolizes Mount Meru in Buddhist cosmology and was designed to house relics of the Buddha. The prang features a square base with an entrance niche and ...
Wat Phra Loi, located in Suphan Buri, Thailand, is one of the province’s ancient temples, with a history deeply rooted in the region’s cultural and religious heritage. While the exact date of its construction and its founder remain unknown, historical evidence suggests it was likely built during the mid-reign of King U-Thong, the founder of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350–1400), placing its origins in the early to mid-Ayutthaya period. This estimation is based on the architectural style of the temple’s ruins, including the brick ordination hall (Ubosot) and sema boundary stones, which are characteristic of that era.
The temple’s name, “Wat Phra Loi,” translates to “Temple of the Floating Buddha” and originates from a legendary event. According to local tradition, a white sandstone Buddha statue in the Naga Prok posture, believed to date back to the Lopburi period (11th–13th centuries), was discovered floating down the Tha Chin River (also known as the Suphan River). Villagers ...
