The ‘Jad’ festival, a Buddhist event, occurs on the eighth day of the waning moon of the 10th lunar month on the Thai lunar calendar.
The festival involves mass merit making to ward off evil spirits and usher in good fortune.
The street procession today honoured a eclectic mix of images and icons, including ‘naga’ serpents, ‘yak’ giants and fabled ‘kinaree’ birds all hailing from Thai Buddhist legends, as well as effigies of hungry ghosts and street floats carrying a classic sailing ship, a shark, a giant green ‘minion’ and even the Disney-creation ‘Nemo’.
The participants, many dressed in traditional Thai dress, made their way to Wat Ban Don (Wat Thepkrasattri) in Moo 4, Thepkrasattri, to make merit.
The festival as observed each year in Baan Don marks a coming together of a broad range of local residents, including people working at local businesses in the area and local government offices.
Many of the participants note that observing the festival “creates love and unity among people in the community and passes on traditions to children and grandchildren.”