Last weekend we ventured up to Loei Province, in the far north of Thailand, to witness the annual Ghost Festival (or Pee Ta Khon). Below are some pics. And here’s the full photo set.
In short, Pee Ta Khon involves the local people marching through the streets of a small town wearing ghost and monster consumes. The genesis of the festival seems to be somewhat unclear. You can read more about it here and here.
The music was pulsating; the beer and whiskey flowed in abundance; the heat was oppressive; and the participants were good-natured and enthusiastic. All in all, it was extremely entertaining.
Typical costume.
Girls.
Mud Man.
The Mud Man snares an onlooker in his net. (This was a real crowd-pleaser — the guy would meander up and down the street and target people to capture. Unwitting bystanders getting caught in nets is always funny, no matter the culture.)
Monsters.
On the march.
Happy participant.
A farang (me) and a ghost.
Young monks take it all in.
On the way back to Bangkok, we encountered this sign at a rest stop on the banks of the Mekong. The devil’s always in the details, isn’t it?
Again, here’re the rest of the pics.
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