October On Trip

1.Land of Smiles Classic
Photo from Thailand http://www.ubonmag.com/  
Since the 1990s expatriate ice hockey players living in Bangkok have imported the sport they love. While Thailand's scorching temperatures and a game played on ice may seem a peculiar fit, ice hockey has grown immensely popular in the Kingdom. The "Land of Smiles Classic" tournament draws as many as 30 teams from 15 countries each year, and its popularity led to the launch of the “City of Angels Cup” to satisfy the demand of hockey players in Asia. Both tournaments continue to bring important tourism revenue into the Kingdom. The Thai-World Hockey League (TWHL) enters its seventh successful season in 2009-10 with more than 60 players, one-third of who are Thai nationals. The Thai National Team, meanwhile, travels the world to compete in international competitions and has impressed with their skill and speed. The rough-and-tumble winter sport of ice hockey has, ironically, found a home in the balmy Land of Smiles.

      The coolest sport on Earth takes center stage in Bangkok Oct. 28-31 as hundreds of ice hockey players from around the world square off in the "Land of Smiles Classic" tournament. Twenty-five teams from 15 countries take to the ice at Imperial Samrong Mall 5th Floor in Asia's biggest ice hockey extravaganza. High-flying, hard-hitting action has enthralled spectators in the Thai capital for 15 years. The tournament continues to bring important tourism revenue into the Kingdom, while raising hundreds of thousands of baht for impoverished children. The rough-and-tumble winter sport of ice hockey has, ironically, found a home in the balmy Land of Smiles.
     Schedule for the Event
     Wednesday, October 28th / 9.00 am – midnight
     Thursday, October 29th /7.30 am – midnight
     Friday, October 30th /7.30 am – midnight
     Saturday, October 31th /7.30 am – 6.30 pm
2.Tour of Mekong

    Here’s a fun introduction to a fascinating way to travel in Thailand.
    Previously called the Mekong Challenge, organisers renamed this annual bike ride “Tour of the Mekong,” in 2008.
    Whatever the name, it is a testament to the growing popularity of recreational cycling in Thailand and this year’s event splits into two distinct routes that have already attracted a record turnout.
    Tourism Authority of Thailand’s office in Chiang Rai organises the event with the Bike Club of Thailand assisting with the logistics.
    The objective is to follow a scenic route as close as possible to the Mekong River that forms the border with Thailand, but takes an extensive diversion east through the steep mountain valleys to Luang Prabang in Laos. It ultimately meanders its way back to the border with Thailand near Chiang Kham in Loei province.
    That explains the international and domestic categories. The more intrepid riders, who pay a flat Bt7,000 to join, can follow the river through the heartlands of Laos, while the domestic route ( Bt1,000 ride fee) concentrates on country byways in northern Thailand through Chiang Rai and Phayao provinces.
    Scheduled to start in Chiang Rai, 21 October, the riders head for Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong where the international group crosses the Mekong River to Huaysai in Laos, leaving the domestic group to head south through some very picturesque but tough mountain country to Phayao.
    The group heading into Laos will board boats for some sections of the journey. Whether on roads, or river, they will travel to Luang Prabang, Pakmong, Udomchai, Luang Namtha and Vieng Phu Kha all in Laos. They will be on the road from 24 October 1 November, while their domestic counterparts will end their trip 24 October in Phayao, Thailand.
    The joy of this experience is that you don’t have to be a professional cyclist to arrive at the finishing line. This is a fun event for all levels of skills and fitness. Bikes are mainly the mountain genre, tough and comfortable, but there a few riders who join the event on more fancy road machines.
    Whatever, the choice the organisers offer a service van, back-up and support to make the ride manageable.
     There are two objectives for the ride. One is to promote leisure cycling as a fitness sport in Thailand, while the other is to demonstrate the ease of travel between Thailand and Laos.
     Perhaps there is just one concern for foreign visitors who might consider a trip of this kind in Thailand. “Is it safeω”
     The answer is an emphatic, yes, from hundreds of happy cyclists, who pedal along the nation’s country roads every day. Thailand is an amazing destination for all kinds of cycling. It has an extensive network of sealed, but quiet country roads, Thai drivers are courteous towards cyclists and there is bountiful fuel stops – restaurants and hotels where ever you decide to roam.
     The top spots for cycle touring are in the North from bases in Chiang Rai, Nan, Chiang Mai (outside the city) and the entire Northeast following roads bordering the Mekong River. Approximately 70 km north of the capital, Bangkok, cycle country begins in earnest at Ayutthaya on a route north that follows the Chao Phraya River basin all on secondary roads.
    The Tour of the Mekong is an ideal way to start a love affair with cycling in Thailand.
    Call Mekong Bike Club at Tel; 053 791 234 and 083 208 2280.
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3.Buffalo Racing

    You could be forgiven for thinking that a domesticated buffalo is not built for sprinting, but in Chonburi town, the gateway to resorts along the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, farmers have managed to tweak a turn of speed from these working animals that is nothing short of amazing.
     The annual Buffalo races, 28 September - 4 October 2009, are a hotly contested series of sprints across on an open space in front of the town’s municipal offices.
     Tourists and the town’s residents turn out for these amazing races that have been featured in the past on CNN and the BBC as a must-see event.
     The races are taken very seriously by the owners of the buffaloes. Prizes for the first nose past the finishing line guarantee owners go to considerable lengths to ensure their buffaloes are in tip-top condition.
     Clouds of dust rise as these hefty animals pound down the short course at an alarming speed, reminiscent of a stampede. The crowd roars in support of the favourites and the atmosphere is as an enthralling as watching thoroughbred race horses.
      Admittedly, mites slower than a race horse, but the buffaloes are no slouches when it comes to making a short dash for glory.
      Although this day of fun and competition would succeed with just the buffaloes as the celebrities, there are other activities to make it a worthwhile outing for families.
      A fair with food stalls and handicrafts appeals to visitors who love authentic Thai food, snacks and sweets. Then there are the rides for children, concerts of folk music and, of course, a beauty contest where the prize is the honour of being declared Miss Buffalo.
      Not exactly the most adhering of titles for an aspiring beauty queen, but it does not seem to deter contestants from seeking the limelight of the catwalk.
      Here is a festival that provides photo opportunities to capture an unusual adaptation of the 100-metre dash. Well worth seeing, is always the conclusion of those who make the effort to travel to Chonburi.
     For more information
    TAT Call Center 1672;   TAT Pattaya Office Tel. +66 (0) 3842 7667
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4.Bang Fai Phaya Nak (Naga Fireball)

    This extraordinary miracle always occurs at the beginning of the full moon night in the eleventh lunar month (End of Buddhist Lent). It can be seen along the Mekong River in the districts of Mueang, Phon Phisai, Pak Khat, Bung Kan, Tha Bo, Si Chiang Mai and Sangkhom. Bang Fai Phaya Nak is a term used for red and pinkish fire balls, which according to belief, belong to Phaya Nak or the great serpent of the underwater world. On the day marking the End of Buddhist Lent, a great number of people come to witness this phenomenon.
     Naga Fireball Festival in Nong Khai
     It remains a mystery that never ceases to puzzle both visitors and locals alike. Just what is the origin and nature of the fireballs that fly from the surface of the Mekong River high into the night sky for all to see?
     Locals swear there is absolutely no doubt at all about the origin of the fireballs. Naga, the serpent reportedly dwelling in the murky currents of this mighty river, propels fireballs skyward, probably to remind villagers to treat this life-giving river with respect.
     Of course, there are detractors, researchers who have spent years of study attempting to explain away the fireball phenomenon, all to no avail.
     Some say it is an elaborate hoax, but the only way to find out is to travel to Nong Khai and check out river scene and the carnivals that villagers organise to celebrate the now famous legendary serpent.
     Festivities run from 10 to 16 October, along the Mekong River bank, in Phon Pisai district in Nong Khai province. There are also corresponding celebrations on the Lao side of the river and no shortage of theories on whether Thailand’s neighbours, on the opposite bank, may know more than they are admitting on what causes the spectacle.
     But there is no denying the fact that there is something almost mystical that causes the fireballs to erupt from the surface of the river, and villagers are taking no chances, hence the religious activities at various temples in the district to appease the Naga.
     Visitors can participate in a traditional "Tak Bat Thevo" ceremony, or the early morning alms giving to monks. It involves offering sticky rice wrapped in coconut leaves, presented on the important final days of the three-month Buddhist Lent.
      In the evenings, during the festival week, people gather at the river bank for the Naga procession and cultural performance that reflect the rural village traditions of the northeast region.
      If all goes to plan the highlight of the trip will be the amazing sight of the Naga fireballs erupting into the sky, a phenomenon that is very likely to prompt some light hearted banter and arguments at riverside food stalls over glasses of ale or the local rice whisky on their origin.
       The most convenient way to reach Nong Khai is to take one of the many daily flights offered from Bangkok to Udon Thani, either on the national airline Thai Airways International, or one of the low-cost airlines. The flight takes 50 minutes and from Udon Thani, mini buses offer a 40 minute transfer to Nong Khai. An alternative is to take the rail service that runs every evening from Bangkok to Nong Khai.
       Contact :
       TAT Udon Thani, Tel. : 66 (0) 4232 5406-7
       Nong Khai Provincial Administration Office, Tel. : 66 (0) 4242 0323
       Website : http://www.tourismthailand.org/ ; E-mail : tatudon@tat.or.th
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5.Tak Bat Devo Festival

     Date : 5 October 2009
     Venue : Wat Sangkat Rattana Khiri, Uthai Thani Province
     The traditional of "Tak Bat Devo" was derived from the word "Devorohana" which means the return of Lord Buddha from Heaven to Earth. According to a Buddhist myth, after Lord Buddha had proclaimed his doctrines and sermoned his father and relatives, he recollected his mother who died after giving birth to him and was born again in Heaven.
      In hie 7th lent’ he went up to heaven to deliver a sermon to his mother the entire period of the Rains Retreat (3 months). At the end of the Rains Retreat (Ok Phansa Day) which falls on the first day of the wanning moon of the eleventh lunar month, Lord Buddha then returned to earth and was greeted by a crawd of hid disciples and Buddhist believers who were waiting to offer him food.
     To commemorate this event at the end of the annual Buddhist Rains Retreat, Uthai Thani Buddhist believers proudly organize the "Tak Bat Devo" Festival as ana annual tradition at Wat Sangkat Rattana Khiri at the top of Sakaekrang mountain. Almost being the only festival in Thailand with the same atmosphere as in the Buddhist myth. It attracts the large inf;ux of believers from all over the country to participate.
     In addition, there are still more local art, culture and tradition, and various tourist attractions in Uthai Thani waiting for visitors to experience.
     Information :
     Uthai Thani Municipality Office, Tel. +66 (0) 5651 2005
     Tags : tak bat devo, tak bat tevo, Ok Phansa Day, buddha lent
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6.Phuket Vegetarian Festival

    Date : 17 – 26 October 2009
    Venue : Various Chinese shrines, Mueang District, Phuket
    This famous festival is held from 17 to 26 October, at various Chinese temples and shrines in Phuket town.
     No one is quite sure about the origins of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, but historians reckon it was started by the Chinese community about 150 years ago. One matter is beyond doubt it is one of the most spectacular of all the vegetarian festivals held in Thailand.
    The nine-day festival runs from 17 to 26 October and its roots are firmly embedded in the Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar is good for body and soul.
    Apart from adhering to a strict vegetarian, diet those who join the festival make offerings to the Nine Emperor Gods to to secure a year of health.
     Always held on the first days of the ninth Chinese lunar month, and for nine days it exerts a serious commitment from those who participate.
     They use the festival to gain cleanliness of the body through a vegetarian diet, dressing in white and abstaining from all pleasures including the consumption of alcohol and sex.
      Crowds are attracted to the Phuket festival because it continues to display traditional practices that have largely disappeared in cities where the Chinese communities embrace a vegetarian diet, but little else of the ancient customs.
     In Phuket town, visitors watch in awe at fire walking, body piercing and other acts of self mortification, some of the feats quite scary.
     Men and women puncture their cheeks with various sharp objects, believing the Chinese gods will protect them from harm. This festival is not for the feint hearted.
     There are six Chinese temples in Phuket town, but the main site is the Jui Tui Shrine, not far from the fresh food market. The traditional raising of a 10-metre high lantern pole signals the start of the festival. Celebrants believe that the Hindu god, Shiva, descends bringing spiritual power to the venue.
     Apart from the spectacular and sometimes shocking displays of self mortification, there are handy escape routes to the roadside food stalls laden with an astonishing variety of vegetarian dishes.
     At a glance they look like chicken or red meat dishes, such is the art of vegetarian cooking these days. Well worth a visit while on holiday in Phuket.
     Contact:
     TAT Phuket, Tel : 66 (0) 7621 1036, 66 (0) 7621 2213
     Website : www.tourismthailand.org
     Tags : Vegetarian Festival, Phuket
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7.Loi Krathong and Candle Festival

   Date : 31 October - 2 November 2009
   Venue : Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai
   Highlights:
   You will be dazzled by the float procession of large krathong from 17 Northern provinces. The procession will consist of krathongs from government agencies, state enterprises, private sectors, and general public, including hanging lanterns, Krathong design contest, and Miss Noppamas Beauty Contest, light and sound presentation, firework displays, Sukhothai arts and culture performances, and the activity of “Dawn of happiness”.
   Contact:
   TAT Sukhothai Tel: 66 (0) 5561 1196
   Website : http://www.loikrathong.net/ ; http://www.tourismthailand.org/
   Tags : Loi Krathong, Sukhothai, Candle Festival
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8.Yi Peng Festival

    Date : 27 October - 2 November 2009
    Venue : Tha Phae Gate, banks of Ping River, Chiang Mai Municipal Office, Chiang Mai
    HIghlights :
   An amazing procession of hanging lanterns, Krathong design contest, Miss Yi Peng beauty contest, light and sound presentation in Ping River, the ancient Thai Lanna Krathong activities, local cultural performances, and local handicrafts market in Lanna style.
   Contact :
   TAT Chiang Mai, Tel : 66 (0) 5324 8604, 66 (0) 5324 8607
   Website : www.loikrathong.net  ; http://www.tourismthailand.org/
   http://www.tatchiangmai.org/     ;   E-mail : tatchiangmai@tat.or.th
   Tags : Yi Peng, Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai Yi Peng FestivalYi Peng, Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai Yi Peng Festival
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9.The Illuminated Boat Procession
   Date : 29 September – 15 Octorber 2009
   Venue : Mekong River, Mueang District, Nakhon Phanom
    This festival was originally aimed at payings respect to the Lord Buddha. Then the competition of the illuminated boat processions was organised to add colour to the event. An invitation is delivered to the public and private sectors, including temples,to participate in the competition. The illuminated boats lined up in the middle of the Mekong River create an impressive scene for viewers.
    Contact :
    TAT Nakhon Phanom, Tel. : 66 (0) 4251 3490-1
    Nakhon Phanom Provincial Administration Office,
    Tel. : 66 (0) 4251 1287, 66 (0) 4251 1574
    Website : http://www.tourismthailand.org/    ;    E-mail : tatphnom@tat.or.th
    Tags : Boat Procession, The Illuminated Boat Procession
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