- Title: THAILAND: GHOST FESTIVAL.
- Date: 29th June 2004
- Summary: (L!1) LOEI PROVINCE, THAILAND (JUNE 20, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF SONGYOT KONGMUN PAINTING A MASK BEFORE THE PHI TA KHON FESTIVAL 2. VARIOUS OF SONGYOT PAINTING MASKS 3. MAN WATCHING SONGYOT PAINTING 4. SONGYOT PAINING TWO MASKS 5. VARIOUS OF MASKS 6. LOCALS WEARING TRADITIONAL MASK AND COSTUMES WALKING DOWN THE STREET TO THE FESTIVAL 7. MASKED MEN PREPARING FOR PARADE 8. BOY'S PAINTED FACE 9. MAN HOLDING WOODEN PENIS AND SHOWING PHALLIC-SHAPED STICK TO CAMERA 10. VARIOUS OF PHI TA KHON MASKED CHILDREN ARRIVING AT PARADE 11. CROWD WATCHING PARADE 12. PHI TA KHON PARADE THROUGH THE STREETS 13. MONKS LOOKING ON 14. PARADE MOVING THROUGH THE STREETS 15. VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS WATCHING PARADE 16. VARIOUS OF MASKED MEN DANCING 17. MAN HOLDING BABY WATCHING PARADE 18. LARGE CROWDS WATCHING THE FESTIVAL 19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPECTATOR NADRAWEE JIYINGMONGKOL SAYING: "A lot of tourists every year come to see (the festival) because it is very different, like a halloween, Thai halloween, something like that" 20. MASKED PARADE WALKING THROUGH THE STREETS 21. VARIOUS OF SCARED BABIES CRYING AS THEY ARE AFRAID OF MASKS 22. VARIOUS OF THAI POLICE PROVIDING SECURITY 23. BAND PLAYING MUSIC 24. PROCESSION MOVING THROUGH THE STREETS Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 14th July 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LOEI PROVINCE, THAILAND
- Country: Thailand
- Reuters ID: LVA3XLSOB1DXHF3IDLDFIW0MW6J
- Story Text: Colourful and unique ghost festival is celebrated in
northern Thailand.
Songyot Kongmun and his family have spent years
perfecting the art of mask painting so that each year they
can make the ornate costumes needed for Thailand's
spookiest fertility festival.
Songyot's gruesome 12-foot ghost costumes will be one of
the highlights of the Phi Ta Kon festival, known as
Thailand's Halloween.
Unique to the usually sleepy town of Dan Sai, the
distinctive celebration attracts tens of thousands of
people to the northern province of Loei (520 km northeast
of Bangkok). Local children and adults alike dress in
miniature versions of Songyot's giant creations - garish
costumes made out of coloured rags, with clanging cow bells
tied around the waist and topped with brightly-coloured
ghost masks painstakingly made out of woven rice husk.
Amid tight security, thousands of curious spectators
turned up to watch the colourful procession in a carnival
like atmosphere. Terrified children clung to their parents
as the masked participants moved through the streets often
stopping to taunt the crying toddlers.
"A lot of tourists every year come to see (the
festival) because it is very different, like a halloween,
Thai halloween, something like that," said Nadrawee
Jiyingmongkol.
Many will also carry large wooden swords or
phallic-shaped sticks as symbols of fertility, an important
part of the festival that is held to encourage rain in the mainly
agric
ultural province.
The costumed locals parade through the town, dancing
and trying to scare onlookers in a centuries-old ritual
that is thought to be based on a Buddhist legend.
According to traditional stories, when Prince Vessandra
(the penultimate incarnation of Buddha) returned home after
a long journey, celebrations were so raucous that even
local spirits joined the party.
Although it is always celebrated in June, the final date
for Phi Ta Kon is left to be decided at the last minute by
the town's ruling spirit Saen Muang, who is believed
to communicate through a local fortune teller.
Despite the unpredictability, it has become one of
Thailand's most well-loved tourist draws, with visitors
travelling from across the world to see Dan Sai's spirited
revelry.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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