Hae Tian (Candle Festival) in Ubon Ratchathani

Hae Tian is Ubon's biggest festival, and though it is celebrated in other parts of Thailand too, Ubon is where it is most famous.  Naturally, I'd been looking forward to this festival since I chose this city for my Thailand adventure, and I wasn't disappointed.  The festival took place over Thursday and Friday, so not only was there no school, a chunk of the main road was closed off to make way for the candle parade.

Before the parade, a candle representing the Thai royal family was paddled out over Mun River, the main river that cuts through Ubon.  My friends Lalitta, Andy, John and I went to suss it out.  It was a beautiful ceremony even in its simplicity, with the army and other groups I couldn't identify standing at attention, and a marching band playing the Thai royal anthem.  I really love the Thai royal anthem, which is playing during this video - check it out.



As you can see, I made full use of my new camera's zoom function.  One could mount a case that I perhaps overused it... but new toys must be played with!

Lalitta had to go home for a bit, so Andy, John and I grabbed some dinner before finding a spot along the main road to view the night parade.  As the voice of a monk drifted over the PA and the crowd chanted, we began to feel a bit conspicuous.  It didn't take long before the TV crews and photographers descended upon us.  I guess the sight of three foreigners each holding a candle and forming the wai was something they wanted to showcase.  I'm used to this kind of attention - I even enjoy it - but John said he felt a bit like an animal in a zoo.  Oh well, no harm done, I say!

Lalitta rejoined us and the parade started not long after.  Enormous wax sculptures were towed out one-by-one, each from a different temple and displaying incredible detail in their carving.  They were accompanied by lines of traditional dancers.  Even Muay Thai boxers had a place amidst the dancers.

After the parade we had a bit of a wander around the museum, where much smaller wax sculptures from different countries were displayed, entries in the international competition.  I'm not sure which one won, but the writer in me definitely had a preference for this one:

The main parade was the next morning, and Lalitta had got us great seats on the stand next to the VIP stage, where her father (the vice-governor of Ubon) was seated.  The giant wax floats came out again, though there was a lot more going on this time round - the parade lasted for three and a half hours.  It was interesting to watch, but we didn't hang around for the whole thing.  We eventually left to get some pad thai and chilled out in the park.

Because Ubon isn't usually so full of tourists, the park was full of students (mostly from high schools) who had been assigned surveys to fill out about the foreigners who were visiting the festival.  It was a great opportunity for them to practise some English and over the course of the day I swear I answered at least a dozen.  I also bumped into First, an ex-student from grade 6 who I taught last semester.  Against typical Thai shyness, he gave me a huge grin, called out "Teacher Brendan!" and came over to chat.


There wasn't a whole heap going on for the rest of the day, but we were still very much in the candle mood.  Lalitta, Andy and I drove to Det Udon, a village about 50 minutes out of Ubon, where a friend named Ooi has her own candle workshop.  The candles her workshop makes are the most beautiful I've seen, taking the forms of flower and fruit arrangements, and I lament that I forgot to take a photo of the finished versions.  We watched as the workers painstakingly moulded and dyed each individual petal.  There was a sign that said "No Photo" but luckily Ooi said we were allowed.

Lalitta had a go at forming her own flower candle.  I have to say, she did a pretty good job!

Ooi had two kittens that were incredibly cute, though one of them - with earnest playfulness - attempted to slice my hand open with its tiny claws.  I immediately fell in love with it.


On our way out of Det Udon I spotted an enormous Buddha, so we stopped to take some photos.  There are so many hidden gems all throughout Thailand!

Lalitta had to split, but Andy and I headed back into "downtown" Ubon in the evening.  We got a closer look at some of the sculptures, filled out more surveys, and encountered a little band that Andy just had to dance along with.  It was such a brilliant moment and I'm so glad I've got a record of it.


There were heaps of food stalls set up around the closed-off streets.  John rejoined us for dinner and we found a table in a sweltering tent, where a man was pan-cooking food with flames that repeatedly shot to the ceiling.  I was half-convinced that he was going to set the whole damn tent on fire and kill us all... but alas, here I remain.