Residents and frequent visitors to Pattaya are used to bizarre sights, but even they might be surprised to see a woman leading this year’s Songkran parade from the back of a peacock.
So goes the legend of Queen Songkran, a title that revolves among the fabled seven daughters of King Kabilaprom, who cut off his own head after losing a bet to his son, Prince Thammaban. His daughters then had to take turns carrying their father’s head around a mountain, never letting it hit the ground for fear that fire and drought would engulf the world.
The daughter carrying the head on April 12 is designated that year’s Queen Songkran. This year, that duty falls to Saturday’s princess, Mahotorntevee. Dressed in a black dress with onyx, she will lead parades throughout the kingdom on the back of a peacock, carrying a discus in one hand and a trident in the other.
The ascension of each princess brings prognostications from fortunetellers and soothsayers for Thailand’s prospects in the coming year. Dressed in black and with a taste for hog deer, Mahotorntevee generally inspires dark divinations.
For starters, the coming year is predicted to be a wet one, with 600 rain showers covering the forests, oceans and land. Astrologers expect flooding, which is hardly a bold prediction, given Thailand’s history. Fortunetellers say the rice god predicts a weak harvest, with only one in 10 crops turning a profit.
More dire predictions say the price of salt will skyrocket and illness will spread. On the other hand, ladies in waiting will be blessed with happiness and treasure and HM the King will prosper.
