Lopburi people continue the tradition of floating phaapaa on boats.

Lop Buri people continue the ancient tradition of 'floating the phaapaa by boat' since the time of King Narai. There are more than 60 boats joining the phaapaa procession, floating along the Lop Buri River, singing and dancing, and taking the phaapaa to 4 temples. This is a beautiful picture of the Loi Pha Pa boat tradition in Lopburi Province, which the Mon people of Bang Khan Mak have preserved and continued since ancient times. They sing, dance, and play music together to join in the merit-making of the Loi Pha Pa boat tradition in a lively manner along the Lopburi River. The procession of the Pha Pa boats started from the pier of Wat Cheng Tha, Tambon Tha Hin, Amphoe Mueang Lopburi, with Mr. Amphon Angkhaphakornkul, the governor of Lopburi, along with heads of government departments and many villagers of Bang Khan Mak joining the procession. This year, there were more than 60 boats joining the procession to continue the tradition of floating the Pha Pa boats, which has attracted a lot of attention from tourists. For the tradition of floating the phaapaa by boat, it is held during the end of Buddhist Lent, in the 11th and 12th months, which is the flood season. It has been told that this is an ancient tradition where the Mon people of Bang Khan Mak will gather, dress like the Mon people, bring the boats from their homes together, decorate them, and place a hurricane lantern on the bow of the boat to symbolize the establishment of the phaapaa united fund. There will also be singing and dancing upstream in the Lopburi River to inform the villagers along the banks or in their homes on the day after the end of Buddhist Lent to bring the money they receive to offer as a Buddhist offering. At present, it has become a beautiful local cultural tradition that promotes tourism for the younger generation to learn and pass on. Boat procession of Pha Pa, villagers will bring Pha Pa to offer at the front of the temples located along the Lopburi River, totaling 4 temples, including Wat Cheng Tha, Wat Maprang Wan, Wat Phr ommasat and Wat Amphawan. Along the route, there will be dancing, boat songs, Sakwa songs, Ram Pha Khao San songs, and Ram Wong Ram Tone songs, which will be fun. For the Lopburi River, it is a historical river that the villagers are connected to because since the time of King Narai the Great, it has been used for both trade and diplomacy. Therefore, there are traditions, cultures, and ways of life that have been related to this river for a long time. Source: Thai News Agency