The dates of some festivals are determined by the lunar calendar, as Easter is in the West, so the actual dates vary from year to year.

Makha Buja occurs in February on the night of the full moon of the third lunar month and commemorates the occasion when the Buddha’s disciples gathered spontaneously to hear him preach. There are candlelit processions around the temple and people give offerings to the monks.

Visakha Buja occurs on the night of the full moon of the sixth lunar month (May) and marks the Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death. Celebrations occur at temples.

Asanha Bucha commemorates the occasion when the Lord Buddha gave his first sermon at Benares and his founding of the Buddhist order of monks. It falls on the full moon of the eighth lunar month.

The day after is Wan Khao Pansa. This marks the start of the Buddhist Lent (Pansa), when monks remain for three lunar months within the confines of the temple engaged in prayer and meditation. Many young men are ordained monks for this period, which coincides with the rainy season.

Wan Ok Pansa marks the end of the Buddhist Lent. The monks are allowed to leave their monasteries and men who have been admitted temporarily resume their normal lives.

Tod Kathin is the time at the end of the rainy season that is celebrated with processions around temples and temple fairs. People visit temples in.their home towns or villages and it is regarded as meritorious to help out a needy temple in a poor part of the country. Arriving at the temple, the faithful present the monks with new robes, pillows, food, and money. One of the great spectacles of the Kathin season was the Royal Barge Procession along the Chao Phraya River which is only rarely performed these days.

The Brahmin Influence

Brahminism-the forerunner of Hinduism-is another potent religious influence, especially in court ceremonial that follows the practices of the Khmer imperial court. One of the major ceremonies of the Thai year is the Royal Plowing Ceremony, an ancient Brahmanic ritual that marks the start of the rice- growing season. This takes place at Sanam Luang, the park near the Grand Palace, on May 6, with the King presiding. The river deities or spirits are honored in the delightful Loi Kratong ceremony that occurs on the night of the full moon in the eleventh month (usually November). This is a festival with Brahmanic origins. Candlelit boats, traditionally made of banana leaves folded to resemble a lotus, are floated on rivers, canals, and ponds all over the country. In this way Thais ask pardon for all the wrongs they have inflicted on the spirits. Brahmins are also astrologers, and are consulted about propitious times to embark on a new enterprise, such as marriage, the launch of a new business, or the dedication of a new temple.

Thai Buddhism as it is practiced is not unadulterated Buddhism. It coexists with other, earlier, animist beliefs such as a belief in unpredictable and often malevolent supernatural forces. These spirits have to be placated for fear they may bring misfortune to one’s household. When Thais build a house, a hotel, or other edifice they feel obliged to pay homage to the guardian spirit of the land on which it is situated. They therefore construct a special spirit house for it, often taking the form of a miniature temple perched on the top of a stand. People come to the shrine, kneel before it, and light joss sticks and candles in honor of the spirit. Many Thais also wear amulets in order to ward off evil, which may have an image of the Lord Buddha or of a monk.

This writer is a florist in Thailand and makes many flower arrangement for weddings and marriages in Thailand. She is based in central Bangkok, where is her main Bangkok flower shop in Baht Korn Talad area near Banglumpoo. She makes all types of bridal flower arrangements and flowers for the wedding reception. Her website for Thailand flowers is http://www.gogoflorist.com.