Hae Phra

(New Year Buddha Images Procession)

The celebration of a new year in Thailand used to follow the Thai lunar calendar and it was celebrated in April. During the reign of King Rama VIII, the New Year celebration was moved to January 1. Since the era of Ayutthaya and the beginning of the Rattanakosin period, the traditional ceremony of New Year celebration has been followed faithfully, especially in Chiang Rai. The key element of this traditional ceremony is the parade of Buddha images. The event, lasting three days, is organized by the Chiang Rai Municipal office to preserve cultural heritage and promote Buddhism and tourism.

Nine major temples are invited to participate in this event. On December 30, at Suan Tung in the middle of the city, all participating temples decorate their carriages with flowers and other ornaments. There are also meditation sessions by local residents and chanting by monks throughout the day, continuing through to the next morning on New Year’s eve when locals pay respect to the Buddha images by burning joss-sticks and candles, and offering flowers and prayers. At 1:30pm, the Buddha images are paraded through the main streets of the city and back to Suan Tung before being returned to each temple.