April on Trip

1.Songkran (Thai New Year)

Photo from Thailand http://www.ubonmag.com/ 
   Date : 10 - 15 April 2010
    This national celebration of the tradition Thai New Year captures the imagination of travellers for both its cultural and fun attributes; the latter being enthusiastic bouts of water splashing between friends and relatives.
    In Bangkok, the Songkran Grand Celebration will be held between 10 and 15 April around the Rattanakosin Island district, sometimes called “Old Bangkok.”
     The main celebrations, in the capital, focus on bathing rites of replicas of revered Buddha images originating from various provinces in the North, South, East and central regions, interspersed with traditional food and dessert-making demonstrations and cultural performances. The opening ceremony will take place, 10 April, at Phra Chetupon Wimol Manklaram or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.
     There are also important celebrations through the country at various tourist destinations:
• Old City Songkran Festival, Ayutthaya
• Songkran Festival, Chon Buri
• Amazing Songkran, Suphan Buri
• Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival, Samut Prakarn
• Songkran Festival, Chiang Mai
• Songkran Festival, Sukhothai
• Fantastic Northeast Songkran,Golden Shower Tree and ‘Kan’ Festival and Sticky Rice Road in Khon Kaen
• Grand Northeast Songkran Festival, Nong Khai
• Songkran Nakhon Phnom and Thai-Lao New Year Celebration
• Hat Yai Midnight Songkran, Songkhla
• Grand Songkran Festival and ‘Nang Dan’ Parade, Nakhon Si Thammarat
• Songkran on the Beach and Phuket Bike Week 2010
   Contact:
   Events Planning Division, Tourism Authority of Thailand
   Tel:0 2250 5500 ext. 3470-3:Call Centre 1672 or  http://www.tourismthailand.org/
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2.Variations on the Songkran theme
    Pattaya celebrates Songkran a week later
    Pattaya and its neighbouring resorts in Chonburi province celebrate Songkran a week later than the rest of the country, which gives the festival’s hardcore followers a second round of fun if they are still on holiday.
    In Pattaya, the festival is officially called Wanlai and starts in Naklua a village community at the northern tip of the resort and continues in unabated enthusiasm, all week throughout the resort, from the Naklua tip to the Jomtien toe.
    However, the more traditional elements of the festival are best witnessed in Naklua, 18 April, when residents turn out for a parade of Buddha images and an image bathing ceremony.
   About 20 km north of Pattaya resort, residents in the beachside town of Bangsaen start the festivities on 16 April, with a grand competition to build more than 100 sand pagodas on the beach.
    Monks receive alms from residents at a beachside venue. Once the ceremonies are over beach sport competitions begin with a riot of water splashing between spectators.
Nearby, Si Chang, a small island close to the coastal town of Si Racha, is the scene of a sand pagoda competition, where local children patiently build their dream castles. Festivities include local sports and a beauty contest.
    Sattahip, a naval base town 25 km south of Pattaya, also celebrates Songkran, 15 to 17 April, in a similar style with sand pagoda and beauty contests.
    Further south, along the eastern seaboard, provinces such as Rayong, Chantaburi and Trat are all in sync with the rest of the country celebrating the festival 12 to 15 April.
    For mor information
   TAT Call Center 1672 ; http://www.songkran.net/
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3.Mekong River International Multi-Sport ITU Asian Cup 2010
    Date : 26 - 28 March 2010
    Venue : Along the Mekong river, Amphoe Mueang Nong Khai, Nong Khai
    Sports enthusiasts travel to a Mekong river border town to compete for glory and a handsome purse.
Triathlon enthusiasts are a healthy and resilient bunch. They travel far and wide, against all odds, to participate in their favourite three-discipline sport. That was very apparent when just days after Bangkok’s airports reopened, following a week of down time, late last year, the Phuket Triathlon hardly missed a beat in attendance.
    Organisers reported less than 5% cancellations, a solid confirmation that sports tourism in Thailand is on a roll.
     So no surprises when a host of new triathlon events appear on Thailand’s annual events calendar One of them is scheduled for Nong Khai, a town on the banks of the Mekong River, facing neighbouring Laos. This small northeast town picked up the baton to host an event endorsed by the International Triathlon Union. It promises to put the upper Northeast region on the tourism map.
Mekong River International Multi-Sport ITU Asian Cup, 2010, provides a packed programme over three days, from 26 to 28 March, with the starting and finishing line in downtown Nong Khai next to the picturesque Mekong River.
    Nong Khai is just 52 km from the nearest airport at Udon Thani, served by both Thai Airways International and low-cost airline, Air Asia. A daily train service also runs from Bangkok to Nong Khai’s station, located close to the Mekong River. Currently the line ends short of the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, but a new track across the river bridge to the Lao capital, Vientiane should open later this month.
   Hightlights :
   Buddy Bike & Run
   Aquathlon Asian Cup Series 2009
   Duathlon Asian Cup Series 2009
   Triathlon ITU Asian Cup 2009
   Let’s see Thai-Lao Friendship Brideg, OTOP Fair, Food Fair, etc.
   For More Information :
   Triathlon Association of Thailand, Tel. 66 (0) 2578 4515, (0) 814 843 335
   TAT Udon Thani, Tel. 66 (0) 4232 5406-7
   Events Planning Division,TAT, Tel. 66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 3475-77
   TAT Call Center 1672  website : http://www.thaitriathlon.org/
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4.Poi Sang Long Ceremony
   Date : April 2010
   Venue : In Mae Hong Son Municipality, Mae Hong Son province
The Poi Sang Long ceremony in Mae Hong Son is a Buddhist novice ordination ceremony, but it is unlike any other ceremony of its type in the country. Young boys aged between 7 and 14 are ordained as novices so they can spend time studying Buddhist doctrines. It is believed that by pursuing ordination for their parents, they gain merit.
      The origins of this festival lie in Buddhist legend. It is believed that the tradition follows in the footsteps of Prince Rahula, the Buddha's own son, who gave up his worldly life to follow his father's spiritual teachings. Prince Rahula became the youngest ordained monk and the first novice in Buddhism. Subsequently it became a tradition for young boys to be ordained so they can undertake the study of Buddhist teachings. With deep reverence for the Buddhist religion, the local residents in Mae Hong Son province are of the view that the celebrations should be as grand as possible
      The Poi Sang Long ceremony is unique to Mae Hong Son province. A colourful spectacle to witness, it is perhaps one of the most delightful festivals in Mae Hong Son, attracting people from far and wide.
     Contact information:
     TAT Call Center 1672
     TAT Mae Hong Son Office :Tel. +66 (0) 5361 2982 – 3
     Web site: http://www.travelmaehongson.org/
      E–mai l: tatmhs@tat.or.th
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5.Phra Nakhon Khiri Muang Phet Fair
   Date : 10 - 19 April 2010
   Venue : Khao Wang and Around the City Limit of Phetchaburi
   "Khao Wang" is a hill located in the heart of Phetchaburi city, it is the location of frist hill palace of Thailand. "Phra Nakhon Khiri" palace was built by King Chomklao (Mongkut), or the Rama IV reign, in 1859, with Chao Phaya Sri Suriyawong (Chuang Bunnag) was the chief architect. It was builtl with a palace temple, Wat Phra Keo Noi, a stupa, to contain the relics of Lord Buddha named by the Kings as Chompetch relics and planted temple trees on both sides connecting the three hills and the group of the throne halls.
     Phra Nakhon Khiri is a main tourist attraction of Phetchaburi with importance in history, culture and natural beauty. In 1935 it was registered as a historical place and in 1979 was declared as a national museum of the monument type. every year from Febuary through April the temple trees on Khao Wang hill almost 200 years old numbering 1,263 trees all showed off more than one million flowers
    Phra Nakhon Khiri or Khao Wang hill has been the place of the annual fair of Phetchaburi continuously up to 22 times. In 2009 it will reach the 150th anniversary. The 2009 annual fair uses the concept of "150th Anniversary to Mark King Rama IV" scheduled to be held from April 10-19, 2009 at Khao Wang and around the city limit of Phetchaburi. It combines with the Phetchaburi Red Cross Fair for the public and tourists to participate in the activities and make merits with the Phetchaburi Red Cross Society.
     Activities at Phra Nakhon Khiri - Phetchaburi City
    The ceremony is to worship the city pillar shrine/the ancestral kings, exhibition to honor the ancestral kings and sustainable economy, the performances of Department of Fine Arts, a parade to honor the kings and the Phetchaburi way of life. Performances on the central stage, a contest of sweet Phetchaburi beauties, demonstration of foods and local sweets, ox chariot racing, decoration of lights and fairworks on Khao Wang each night. They will set up booths selling OTOPs at the fair, set up sales booths at the Red Cross fair and selling Phetchaburi Red Cross raffle to win the cup of HRH Princess Somdet Phrathep Rattanasuda Siam Baromratch Kumari.
For more information :
     TAT Call Center 1672
     TAT Phetchaburi Office, Tel. 66 (0) 3247 1005-6