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Phuket
Festivals
Falls on
the 13th of March. Various activities
remind the inhabitants of the
events that enabled Phuket to
survive the battles with Burma,
and of the heroic deeds done
then.
Turtle Releasing Festival
Falls on the 13th of April,
which is Songkran, or Thai New
Year. Department of Fisheries
has also declared National Fisheries
Day. Turtles are released into
the sea from various beaches
around Phuket.
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An ethic Chinese festival occurring
during the 7th lunar month of
the Chinese calendar usually
in September. Offering are made
to ancestors and holy spirits,
of flour cakes shaped like turtles,
boat large and small, and colored
red for good luck. The Chinese
believe turtles have long lives,
and thus to make offering of
turtles will help extending
their own lives. It is an important
merit making ceremony.
Customary Setting Adrift of
the Chaolay Boats
Ceremonies occur in the middle
of the 6th and the 11th months
each year. The Chaolay, or Sea
Gypsies, at Rawai and at Sapam
set their boats adrift on the
evening of the 13th; those at
Sirey on the 14th; and those
at Laem Lah (at the north end
of Phuket) celebrate on the
15th. It is an exorcism of the
sort also practiced a little
differently throughout Thailand
during Loy Kratong Festival.
Boat are built of wood, fingernail
and hair, the purpose being
to drive sorrow and suffering
from their midst. Afterward,
a dance is performed round the
Chaolay Boats, the famous' Rahm
Rong Ngeng. |
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During the
first 9 days of the lunar month
of the Chinese calendar , in
September or October or November,
Phuket Chinese eat no meat,
eggs, milk, garlic, nor spices.
The festival was first held
in 1825 and has been performed
yearly since then, the object
being to purity the mind and
body, and to demonstrate the
strength of their faith. Amazing
feats, walk on burning by participants
who, possessed by spirits an
in a trance, walk on burning
coals, pierce tender parts of
their bodies with sharp or thorny
instruments, climb a ladder
made oh knives barefoot, and
generally do such as might well
leave an ordinary person dead
or in critical condition; and
this without any apparent suffering
or ill-effect, nor much loss
of blood either. It is an astonishing
spectacle, performed not by
actors but by the common citizenry,
one which makes believers of
all who see it. |
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Start the
first day of November. The first
festival was in 1985. It is
to welcome tourists and create
a sprit of teamwork among those
in the tourist business, the
government, and among the people
generally. There are various
activities, including: a morning
offering to monks, water sports
competitions, and an international
beauty contest with participants
being tourist.
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This festival
is organized in May to publicize
Phuket's famous seafood and
invite visitors to come to Phuket
during the rainy season. Some
features in this festival are
a procession, sales of local
products and seafood, exhibition
on the life of the Sea Gypsies,
beauty contest, and cultural
performances.
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This international
event is organized at the scenic
area of the Laguna Phuket in
October. The sport events comprise
of 1.8 kilometers of swimming,
55 kilometers of cycling and
12 kilometers of jogging. For
more information http://www.lagunaphuket.com/triathlon/
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The Phuket
Gay Festival, Gay and Lesbian
communities around the world to
join at Patong Beach. |
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Songkran is
a Thai traditional New Year which
starts on April 13 every year
and lasts for 3 days. Songkran
festival on April 13 is Maha Songkran
Day or the day to mark the end
of the old year, April 14 is Wan
Nao which is the day after and
April 15 is Wan Thaloeng Sok which
the New Year begins. At this time,
people from the rural areas who
are working in the city usually
return home to celebrate the festival |
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A
boat race in honor of His Majesty
the King of Thailand, first held
in 1987, to celebrate the 5th
12-year cycle of his birth, and
beginning each year since then,
on his birthday, the 5th December.
Racing yachts come from all over
the world to compete. The one
week competition features various
classes of yacht such as keelboats,
catamarans and multi-hulls. The
event takes place between Nai
Han Beach and Phi Phi Island.
For more informationhttp://www.kingscup.com
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Laguna
Phuket Triathlon Festival
King's
Cup Regatta
