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Phi Ta Khon Festival.

Phi Ta Khon Festival has its origin in a traditional Buddhist tale. When Prince Vessandorn, the Buddha's penultimate incarnation, returned to his city. the welcoming procession was so delightful that spirits emerged to celebrate. Phi Ta Khon is celebrated largely by young men who dress as spirits to parade a sacred Buddha image and tease villagers, and monks reciting the story of the Buddha's last great incarnation before attaining Enlightenment.

These are Phi Ta Khon (phi means ghost), villagers dressed up as ghosts with long colourful marks who participlate in entertaining processions honouring spirits of long ago. Phi Ta Khon processions are part of the merit-making activities during June-July in Loei province, especially Den Sai district, on the border with Laos.

The Phi Ta Khon tradition dates back to the time of King Vessandorn the penultimate incarnation of Lord Buddha, who was extremely generous and charitable. So generous that he would give away whatever he had to anuone who requested a gift for merit-making. But his generosity irritated his people, who eventually drove him out of town when he gave away two very precious elephants to another king who asked for them.

The king took his wife and two children on a pilgrimage through the nearby forest. One day a Brahmin beggar asked for his children and he gave them to become slaves of the beggar. The wild ghosts and spirits of the forest so loved and respected him for his generosity, that when he decided to return to rule his people, they formed a procession to bid him farewell.

Today, the Phi Ta Khon take part in a festival held in many districts in Loei to celebrate the last great incarnation of Lord Buddha, usually held over two days.t is also belived that Phi Ta Khon came from Laos, because the town of Kaen Thao near Luang Phabang also has its Phi Ta Khon.

The festival begins early the first morning when the ghosts appear to tease villagers on their way to Den Sai. The ghostly procession, with dancers and entertainers, frolics its way towards the main temple, all the while teasing onlookers.

The second day, the Phi Ta Khon reappear to parade a sacred Buddha image around town, while monks recite the story of the Buddha's reincarnation. The Phi Ta Khon tease and play with their audience, cavorting around in grotesque, long-nosed marks made from coconut husks. Many are decorated with small bells, which jingle as the "ghosts" jump and dance around. Other Phi Ta Khon are armed with knives whose handles are carved into huge red phallic symbols. As can be imagined, the knives are prodded at women in the audience to provoke screams and laughter.

The 'Phi Ta Khon' procession is alive with music and songs. Participants in the procession wear marks and headdresses made from rattan rice containers with eye openings. Long noses are attached and sewn together with coconut stems and painted in oil (previously, while plaster and tar were used as paints).

The ghosts, or Phi Ta Khon, wear fanciful clothes with beautiful and comic designs, or covered with blankets painted or drawn with different symbols. Although most of them are dressed to scare people, the occasion is truly fun-filled with performances, dancing and prancing. Cans and other apparel make up the decorative items, with cans tied to the leg or waist, creating noise that add to the fun of both performers and spectators.

Thadition requires that the ghostly costumes must be hidden while they are being made, and always in a rice storage area. After the festival is over, the marks are usually thrown into the Man river, because the wearers are afraid of real ghosts. These days, however, the marks are sold to the hordes of tourists, who want them as souvenirs and wall decorations.

Unlike their western counterparts, the ghostly Phi Ta Khon are not afraid of Buddhist amulets or garlic. But they are frightened there will be no crowds to watch their performances!.

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Information

: Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. (02) 694-1222, E-mail : tat@cs.ait.ac.th : Tourist Service Center (TAT and Tourist Police), Tel. 1155 : Ghosts haunt the streets of Loei, Holiday Time in Thailand, Thailand's Official Tourism Magazine, June 1997, P. 49-51.