The ‘Rally Caravan Duan Sip Festival 2024’ will be held on Sept 21-22, covering the route from Phuket to Phang Nga and ending in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Dr Kamron Sukban, President of the Nakhon Sri Thammarat Association in Phuket, explained at a press conference on Monday (Aug 5).
“This marks the second edition of the event, which begins in Phuket and ends in Khanom, Nakhon Sri Thammarat,” he said.
Highlights of the event include a visit to the revered statue of Luang Pu Thuat at Laem Phra That, a boat tour to see the famous pink dolphins of Khanom, and a scenic view at Khao Hin Phaeng, Dr Kamron noted.
The event is to highlight the journey of Nakhon Sri Thammarat people to their home province to celebrate the Duan Sip festival, he addded.
“The primary objective of the rally is to promote tourism and local culture in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, linking Andaman and Gulf of Thailand tourism, introducing new tourist attractions in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, supporting local businesses, and distributing income across local communities,” he said.
The ‘Sart Duen Sip (literally “Festival of the 10th month”) is celebrated by Buddhist communities throughout Southern Thailand, with special significance in Nakhon Sri Thammarat.
Duen Sip was announced as a special regional holiday throughout Southern Thailand in 2021 as part of the central government’s means of boosting domestic tourism amid the post-COVID tourism recovery efforts.
During the festival, participants present offerings of food to the ghosts of dead ancestors as a way of making merit, very much like a ‘hungry ghost’ festival. The festival also encourages participants to make offerings of gratitude to nature and the land for the blessings received.
Many local villages in Phuket, especially in the heart of the island, also observe the festival.