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Boon Bang Fai (Rocket Festival)
Boon Bang Fai, or the rocket festival, is one of the most unique festivals celebrated in Isan, Northeastern Thailand. It’s a significant festival for the farming communities in the region as it celebrates the beginning of the planting season. Villages across the region celebrate Boon Bang Fai, but the Yassothon Rocket Festival is the most popular.
During the festival, locals parade their homemade rockets around the city before launching them into the sky. The rockets are launched as part of a competition. The builder whose rocket soars the highest typically wins a prize. On the other hand, people whose rockets fail to launch are thrown into a mud bath as punishment. The rockets are launched to encourage the gods to unleash the rain to help their crops to grow. In addition to the rocket launch competition, the festival also features live folk music and beauty pageants. Everyone enjoys a party atmosphere and drinks local rice wine.
Boon Bang Fai, or the rocket festival, is one of the most unique festivals celebrated in Isan, Northeastern Thailand. It’s a significant festival for the farming communities in the region as it celebrates the beginning of the planting season. Villages across the region celebrate Boon Bang Fai, but the Yassothon Rocket Festival is the most popular.
During the festival, locals parade their homemade rockets around the city before launching them into the sky. The rockets are launched as part of a competition. The builder whose rocket soars the highest typically wins a prize. On the other hand, people whose rockets fail to launch are thrown into a mud bath as punishment. The rockets are launched to encourage the gods to unleash the rain to help their crops to grow. In addition to the rocket launch competition, the festival also features live folk music and beauty pageants. Everyone enjoys a party atmosphere and drinks local rice wine.