Next week marks the beginning of Buddhist Lent with two of the most important religious days on the Thai calendar, Asalaha Bucha and Khao Pansaa.
The back-to-back Buddhist holidays next week means two dry days in Pattaya as bars, restaurants and entertainment venues are barred from selling alcohol on Thursday, July 30, and Friday, July 31.
Khao Pansaa marks the start of the monks’ “rains retreat,” during which they stay inside temple grounds so as not to trample crops during the rainy season. Candles are seen as a way to provide monks enlightenment during their prayers and candle parades are popular.
This beautiful effort from Lerdpanya School in Sattahip earned the school first prize in the candle-carving competition in that area for the fourth consecutive year.
