Makha Bucha Day - No Alcohol Sales Tuesday March 4

Makha Bucha Day is for the veneration of Buddha and his teachings  on the full moon day of the third lunar month.

Makha Bucha ceremony to be held at 30,000 temples nationwide thainews prd go th

Less spending for upcoming Makha Bucha Day forecast

Sakon Nakhon

Sakon City Visakha Bucha Celebrations

An estimate by N.N.T. that over ten thousand people joined the religious ceremony seems overestimated.  But it sounds good

Celebrations at Phra That Phanom

 7 through 15 February

Post by PBmiller จำหน่าย เครื่องสีข้าว โรงสีข้าว ทุกชนิด ทุกรุ่น.

When Celebrations Collide in Thailand

Valentine Day vs Makha Bucha Day

Valentine  died on February 14, according to the Catholic Church, which declared this day Saint Valentine Day.

The story of his death may well be legend:

In the roman days only single men were required to enter military duty.
This created a shortage in the military ranks.
A ban on marriage was imposed, which the Christian priest Valentine ignored, performing marriage ceremonies for soldiers.
While in jail, his prayers healed the jailer’s daughter who was suffering from blindness.
After his execution a note was found written by him: "Your Valentine."

Before Valentine

February 14 was celebrated in honor of the roman goddess of marriage, Juno. 

The story of Juno may well be legend:

Girls names where written on a slip of paper which was placed in a jar.  Boys then picked a name and were partnered with the girl for the duration of the three day festival.  Participants were said to have been age 14.

Before Juno

Lupercalia was honored with fertility rites on February 14

Saint valentine remains a saint, but the Saint has been removed from most calendars, as the celebrations continue to be focused on love, sex, and promiscuity.

February 14, 2014, the third full moon day.

For Buddhists it's a day to celebrate Buddhas teachings. In Thailand, this teaching has been dubbed the 'Heart of Buddhism'.

The day is celebrated with a candlelight procession.

Alcohol sales are forbidden on this Buddhist holy day

aka: National Beer wrapping day
aka: Alcohol in a coffee cup day
aka: Bar doors half open day

Last Day at Sakon Nakhon Temple Fair Today

Wat Phra That Choeng Chum Sakon Nakhon

Wat Phra That Choeng Chum Sakon Nakhon

Temple Fair has begun

video by Jakkree Thampitakkull

Setting up for the Sakon Nakhon Temple Fair

...and two vendors greeted me by name

Buddha Rescheduled in Thailand

Update: Reschedule cancelled

Loy Krathong gets go-ahead from govt

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has announced that it will postpone its annual celebrations for the Loy Krathong festival in honour of the late Supreme Patriarch Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana.

Loi Krathong festivities delayed

• 100-year-old Buddhist monks' head died in Thailand

Makes no sense to me

After all, Loi Krathong is in honor of Buddha  

Would Buddha really mind if we included the recently deceased monk head with the same reverence.

Then there is a matter of seniority!! 

Buddha is getting rescheduled??

*Mothers Day Thailand *

If you are not a daily contributor to monks, 
you should do this on your birthday and other special occasions.
Such an occasion is today: August 12 is Mothers Day in Thailand.

Local food vendors have extra servings on hand for donations to the monks

On peak donation days pickup trucks accompany the monks to store the large volume of donations. The extra food is served to village poor

 

Various groups of monks from different temples make their rounds

After donations monks say a blessing. It is customary to pour water during this blessing

It's a family afair

Monday

Sakon Nakhon Wax Candle Parade

I did not attend the parade because I don't feel 100% quite yet after three recent illnesses.
From the looks of the video, it's a copy from previous years.

Thailand to urgently regulate chemical residues in rice

UN says it's ready to intervene to ensure integrity, purity of Thai rice

As it stands now, investors should be wary of Thailand

22 reported dead in central Chinese 5.9-magnitude earthquake

New Arrival in Sakon Nakhon

 Superbly well done video 

Zimmerman    AlJazeera English	Zimmerman   AFP
London: temperatures rising    AFP	New York: temperatures rising    AP
Oil tankers unsafe    AP	Hey Big Spenders   Bloomberg
Snowden  RT

Sunday

Sun

It's a Virus

Sakon FC Coach to depart

Sakon FC coach will leave the team after this weekend's home game against Nakhon Phanom.
No reason for his departure has been given, but it is known that he is moving to Surin.
No replacement has been named at this time
Siam Sport

Wax Candle Parade Sunday, July 21

Asarnha Bucha / Wan Khao Phansa / Start Buddhist Lent (July 22-23)

OH CRAP!!

I had just recovered from dengue fever. I had not regained normal health and my immune system was still weak.

Today is the fourth day of severe diarrhea, including a few laundry 'accidents.'

After the second day I began using antibiotics to no avail.

Today I have switched to anti viral medicine.
Immediate relief, I can drink without puking. I've even had a bowl of rice soup without the urge to run to the throne room.

Will go to the hospital later today, since a hydration iv is probably a good idea at this point.

Visakha Bucha aka:National Beer wrapping day aka:ALcohol in a coffee cup day

It's the holiest Buddhist holiday, celebrating the birth, enlightenment and entry into nirvana of the Buddha.

Public parade probably sometime around dusk.
Starts at the city gates and makes it's way to Wat Phra That Choeng Chum.

Umbrellas are advisable.

It's an alcohol free day, bars discos closed.  Alcohol may not be sold.
Enforcement is haphazard. Many ma & pa  operations continue business as usual.
Alcohol purchases may be individually wrapped, so as to become less obvious.

Some restaurants, especially those patronized by westerners, tend to play "hide the booze," serving drinks in coffee mugs.

Dress code for the day is white
     

Video explains the event

Friday

Venus

Sakon Visakha Puja

Commemorates the Birth, Enlightenment, and Final Nirvana of the Buddha.
Parade scheduled May 24

Sunday

Shindig Traffic Jam

The municipal ground (Ming Muang Field) served as a parking lot
for buses, vans, and songthaews yesterday

Streets were at capacity with traffic.  
Pedestrian traffic seemed to outpace motor vehicles

Wat Phra That Choeng Chum

There was some sort of shindig at the main temple

Wat Phra That Choeng Chum.

Best explanation I received was "monk promotions, when they get their shields."

Had to wade through the traffic twice.

Commercial Buddhism in Thailand

T.i.T. Bits

Some folk will tell you it rained in Sakon Nakhon today. Technically you can call it rain. I call it Saint Peters dribble

Buddhist especially in NE Thailand commemorate the death of Ajahn Mun this weekend. He died on November 11, 1949 read more about his life at WIKIPEDIA

Recently read that they are building a dam over what used to be the river flowing through Tao Ngoi.  It's not really much of a river anymore, resembles a creek. Somebody mentioned they were asking for volunteers to help with the work. From the looks of things, volunteering was not on anyone's mind. If someone would have offered cash, there might  have been a crowd. On the way to Tao Ngoi, I noticed many rice fields drying out and farmers salvaging what they can

In my travels to Tao Ngoi I encountered a roadblock which turned out to be a great photo opportunity. Thais love their mobile soundsystems

Another OTOP type fair is coming to town  November 23 through December 2 Held at the municipal grounds (across the street to the police station)