Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival in Thailand

The Rocket Festival in Thailand, or Bun Bang Fai, is one of the country's most exciting and culturally rich celebrations. Taking place primarily in northeastern Thailand (Isan), this annual event is a lively and explosive display of homemade rockets launched into the sky as an appeal for rain. The festival blends ancient traditions with modern-day celebrations, showcasing a mix of music, dance, parades, and, of course, spectacular rocket launches.

What is the Bun Bang Fai Festival?

Locally known as the Bun Bang Fai Festival, this ancient festival is a merit-making ceremony that involves firing homemade rockets toward the heavens to captivate the rain gods and hopes for a good monsoon season before the crop plantations take place. Celebrated in Thailand's northeastern region, with its most significant commemorations in Yasothon, the festival is a treat for your eyes. The first celebration of this festival dates back centuries ago and is still widely celebrated, which is proof enough of how Thai's treat their culture with the utmost respect.

When is the Rocket Festival Celebrated? 

When: 9 May, 2025 – 11 May, 2024
Where to Go: Rocket Festival in Thailand Phaya Thaen park, Yasothon

Where is the Rocket Festival Celebrated?

What to Expect During Rocket Festival in Thailand

Rocket Launching Competitions: The day begins with the usual dance performances and shows, but the most critical event is the launching of the rockets. In this event, villagers light up their homemade bamboo rockets, which roar into the skies. The locals then pray for abundant rainfall. The rocket launch competition also commences, wherein a panel of judges considers the rockets' beauty and how far into the sky they travel. Rockets are not just carved out of bamboo and presented to the judges; they are mounted on giant carts with spinning wheels to boost their beauty and power. There are a plethora of rockets of different sizes and firepower, ranging from 1 kg to 120 kg. The rockets that misfire are disqualified, and their owner is either thrown into a puddle of mud or covered entirely in it. Different types of rocket shootings exist, starting with the auspicious inaugural rocket, popularly known as Bang Fai.

In addition to it being a punishment in good taste, it also serves as a safety function as mud is said to reduce the severity of burns that might have been caused due to the misfire. This reminds the participants and watchers that the festival is not only about fun and games, but it can also get dangerous at times too. So, precautions must be duly taken before one participates in the competitions.

Drinking, Festivities, Humor, and Fun: Since it's a fertility festival, the festivities involve dirty humor and cross-dressing. Cross-generational and cross-sex dressing can be seen in a stretch of 3 days. This is also a time when large quantities of alcohol are consumed by the villagers. Sura, the most popular beverage in the village, has a 40% alcohol content, is cheaper than beer, and is consumed widely during this period. The festival also has other beautiful highlights. Workshops teach visitors how to make a Bang Fai rocket. Take part in the workshop to learn about the craft of carving a masterpiece out of bamboo.

Parades and Processions: Street parades and traditional dance with live music commence with a bang on the second day of the festival. It is amusing and fascinating to watch musicians in a cart with electric guitars connected to car batteries ready to play music for the visitors in full volume! The performances are followed by a Buddhist merit-making ceremony, after which the locals bring in their bright and vibrantly decorated rockets mounted on equally beautiful and traditional oxcarts. Most of the rockets are for show and not for flight. People compete in groups, and the winners take home prizes according to the categories. Look out for people sporting the Nagas masks, which are equipped with water swivels, as they might squirt water on you. Fret not, as this is all part of the celebration.

Legends Behind the Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival in Thailand

This famous legend of Nang Ai, the most beautiful queen of the pageant, Phadaeng, an outsider who won her heart, and Phangkhi is a story of the love triangle that resulted in a war. Phangkhi and Nang Ai are said to have been destined to be soul mates in every life due to their karma. Nang Ai prays not to be paired with Phadaeng when she gets fed up with Phangkhi’s selfish desires. Phadaeng is expected to win the Rocket Festival tournament to win her hand, but the whole thing was called off after Phadaeng lost the tournament and Nang Ai’s uncle won it. Phangkhi was also invited to the tournament but was spying as a white squirrel on Nang Ai and was caught and killed while doing so. The body of Phangkhi transformed into 8000 cartloads of flesh which was eaten away by the countrymen. This led to the rage of Phaya Nak, Father of Phangkhi and the Naga King, and he waged war on the surface of the land, turning everything into a marsh.

In Buddhist Mythology, Phaya Khang Khok, The Toad King, is believed to be a Bodhisattva incarnation of Lord Buddha. When The Toad King got married to Udon Khuruthawip, the sermons were so extravagant that they drew all the creatures and sky-dwellers. Phaya Thaen got furious that the sky-dwellers went away from him and stopped the rains for Seven years, Seven months, and Seven days. Naga King declared war on the Sky King against the advice of the Toad King and lost. Toad king assumed the command and brought together all creatures, and waged war on the Sky King. The war was won, and Phaya Thaen came in peace. The Rockets fired every year at the end of the summer to remind the Phaya Thaen of his treaty and to shower the earth with Life-giving rain.

To catch a glimpse of a festival never witnessed before, head to the Rocket Festival in Thailand for its beauty and uniqueness and celebrate as the Thais do.