Visakha Bucha — is one of the most significant religious holidays, celebrated on the May full moon. The celebration is held in honor of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
Thailand is a Buddhist country, and His Majesty the King acts as the guarantor of all religions, so this day is widely celebrated throughout the country. Religious flags are developing everywhere.
Religious ceremonies are held throughout the country, during which tributes are paid to religious shrines. In rural areas, people get up early in the morning to prepare food and sweets for the monks, and at dawn they head to a nearby temple, where they spend most of the day taking part in religious rituals.
The main events take place around temples. Here people listen to sermons all day long, and in the evening they take part in a candle procession, during which they walk around the main temple chapel three times.
During the procession, everyone holds flowers, three incense sticks and a lit candle, which symbolizes the three shrines (Buddha, his Teachings and his Followers).
In honor of this holiday, the main religious ceremony is held in Nakhon Pathom Province, in the Putta Monton Temple, where the statue of the Walking Buddha is installed. Here the candle procession is usually led by one of the members of the royal family.
Buddhists from nearby and other provinces also take part in the procession, and some of them listen to sermons or even spend time meditating.