The Ghost Festival

Masks and Costumes at Ghost Festival

Dates Festival Occurs: May, June , July
Phi Ta Khon is a type of masked procession celebrated on the first day of a three-day Buddhist merit-making holiday. The colourful  festival takes place in May, June or July in  a small town of Dan Sai in the northeastern province of Loei. The participant dress up as colourful ghosts wearing Big masks made of coconut shall carvings. The procession is celebrated with a lot of dancing and music. The origin of this very popular festival is not fully known but it said to be traced back to a traditional Buddhist folklore. A prince was said to go on a long trip for such a long time that his subjects forgot him and even thought that he was already dead. When he suddenly returned, his people were overjoyed. They welcomed him back with a celebration so loud that it even awoke the dead who then joined in all the fun. THis festival demonstrated the culture and artistic side of Thailand.