If there’s something that they
forgot to include in Loei’s kilometric
motto, it is probably “city of the
bizarre but decidedly charming
cultural ghost mask festival”. It
is left to the imagination whether
this is because it didn’t want to
scare visitors away or because
the name was truly getting out of
hand. Regardless, this festival is the
province’s pride and joy, amassing
much of the cultural essence within
its populace. Taking place at some
point between March and July, once
the visionaries and mediums reach
consensus over a specific date, the
Phi Tha Khon ghost festival extends
across three entire days during which
a number of ceremonies take place.
On the first day the main Ghost
Festival, which is called Wan Ruam
(day of assembly) and during which
the town’s inhabitants ask Phra U
Pakut for protection from evil. Phra
U Pakut is the spirit of the Mun
River, over which he supposedly
guards. A sequence of games and
activities are then held for the
remainder of the day, whilst people
wear extravagant and intimidating
masks made from coconut leaves and
rice husks. These take the shape of
grinning demon-like creatures with
horns and multiple facial and body
ornaments. Ornaments range from
the more common wooden bells
to the more unorthodox wooden
phalluses which are waved around
displaying the blessings inscribed
on them. This festival is said to
have originated long ago, when in
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October 15 - November 15 , 2015