Wan Awk Pansa
Encyclopedia
Wan Awk Pansa is the last day of the Thai
/Laos observance of vassa
. It occurs in October, three lunar months after Wan Kao Pansa.
The day is celebrated in Isan
by illuminated boat
processions (Thai ไหลเรือไฟ lai reua fai, Isan
ไหลเฮือไฟ lai heua fai), notably in Nakhon Phanom
on the Mekong river, and in Ubon Ratchathani
on the Mun
.
The main ceremonies feature boats of 8-10 metres in length, formerly made of banana
wood or bamboo
, but now sometimes of other materials. The boats are filled with offerings such as kao tom mut (sticky rice sweets wrapped in banana leaves) and decorated on the outside with flower
s, candle
s and lamp
s. The boats are launched in the evening.
Additionally, some celebrants individually launch their own, smaller vessels. Boat races also take place around this time in many places throughout the country.
The phenomenon known as the Naga fireballs
, in which glowing egg-sized balls rise out of the Mekong river, is most often reported around the night of Wan Awk Pansa. A clear reason for the fireballs has yet to be determined.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
/Laos observance of vassa
Vassa
Vassa , also called Rains Retreat, or Buddhist Lent, is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada practitioners...
. It occurs in October, three lunar months after Wan Kao Pansa.
The day is celebrated in Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
by illuminated boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
processions (Thai ไหลเรือไฟ lai reua fai, Isan
Isan language
Isan language is the collective name for the dialects of the Lao language as they are spoken in Thailand. It is spoken by approximately 20 million people, which is nearly one-third of the entire population of Thailand, predominantly in the Isan region of northeastern Thailand. There are also large...
ไหลเฮือไฟ lai heua fai), notably in Nakhon Phanom
Nakhon Phanom Province
Nakhon Phanom is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Mukdahan, Sakon Nakhon and Bueng Kan. To the north-east it borders Khammouan of Laos.-Geography:...
on the Mekong river, and in Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani is a city on the Mun River in the south-east of the Isan region of Thailand. It is known as Ubon for short. The name means "Royal Lotus City." The provincial seal features a pond with a lotus flower and leaves in a circular frame. Ubon is the administrative centre of Ubon...
on the Mun
Mun River
The Mun River , sometimes spelled Moon River, is a tributary of the Mekong river. It carries approximately 21,000 cubic kilometres of water per year.-Geography:...
.
The main ceremonies feature boats of 8-10 metres in length, formerly made of banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
wood or bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
, but now sometimes of other materials. The boats are filled with offerings such as kao tom mut (sticky rice sweets wrapped in banana leaves) and decorated on the outside with flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s, candle
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
s and lamp
Lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight...
s. The boats are launched in the evening.
Additionally, some celebrants individually launch their own, smaller vessels. Boat races also take place around this time in many places throughout the country.
The phenomenon known as the Naga fireballs
Naga fireballs
The Naga fireballs , also referred to as Mekong lights, are a phenomenon seen in the Mekong river—in Thailand and in Laos —in which glowing balls rise from the water high into the air...
, in which glowing egg-sized balls rise out of the Mekong river, is most often reported around the night of Wan Awk Pansa. A clear reason for the fireballs has yet to be determined.