24 Apr, 2022
Pattaya’s Thai New Year season closed on a traditional note with the annual Kong Khao festival.
Pattaya City Manager Pramote Tubtim opened the April 20 event at Lan Po Public Park in Naklua. A similar event was held at Nong Yai Temple three days earlier.
The day started early with sports and games, including sea boxing, slingshots, sepak takraw, checkers and chess.
Nightfall saw the spiritual side of the rice piling ceremony, with people dressed as devils and angels with a parade of the spirts, who inspected all the piled-up food and treats.
Free food was followed by a prayer service and live music.
The angels and devils also were out at Nongyai Temple’s smaller festival that also featured singing and stage plays with plenty of food offered for spirits and animals.
Celebrants dressed as devils dance around the compound looking for food offerings.
Children perform pretty traditional Thai dances on stage.
