thailand's special festival - peetakone

Peetakone( 猛鬼節 )• Date ： June 24th

• It’s a special festival in the northeast of Thailand.

• Instead of Halloween 、 China’s ghost festival, it’s very amazing and not scary.

• Many tourists come there to join this unusual custom.

Origin<1> Long time ago, in Thailand there w

as a man named Prince Vessandorn who was Buddha’s incarnation. He was assiduous in government affairs and won people’s mind. But one day, he told everyone that he will go back to paradise soon, hoping that they can forget him.

The people was deeply grieved at the news. To ask not to take the prince away, they prayed night and day. The God was so moved that he let the prince return to human’s world.

It’s said that Peetakone was held to remember the prince. People celebrate it to hope there will be favorable weather and plentiful harvest.

Origin<2>

Legend has it that there was a great epidemic in Loei, it killed almost one hundred people in just one week. Not to spread the disease, the government commanded the local people to burn up the patient and the corpse that had epidemic.

And that date was June 24th. From then on, people met many ghosts on this day every year. No one dare to go out or do business.

The problem didn’t solve till a monk passed by this place. He helped the souls go to the Nirvana. He also promised to have a ceremony to memorize them every year. So that’s why the Peetakone is on June 24th.

Most people know the ghost story of Nang-nak.

It’s touched, isn’t it ？

Origin<3>

One hundred years ago in Bangkok, Nang-nak just got married. She and her husband loved each other very much. However, when she was pregnant, her husband was called up to go into the army. Unfortunately, Nang-nak died because of dystocia.

Her husband back. To be together, she and her baby turned themselves into real people. When neighbors and friends tried to tell him that she was dead, Nang-nak would kill him in a miserable way. But her husband ended up finding they were ghosts.

He was so afraid that he hid in the temple. Nang-nak was sad ,keeping killing people. Many monks were dead. Finally a powerful monk showed up and wiped out the soul. He took her frontal bone and made a belt.

Nowadays, Nang-nak’s bones aren’t rotten. They are in the temple. But where’s her frontal bone ？ No one knows……

Celebration Activities

• Hundreds of men and children dress the colorful ghost robes, and wear the scaring masks.

• People dance and sing in the parade. It’s fun.

• When the parade finish, they will vote for the best ghost.

Cool ！

I like theirs dress =ˇ=

The ghost can ride a bike ？