Rocket Festival

Rocket Festival is a period of "release steam" before heavy fieldwork begins.Traditional May-June festivals in various provinces of northeast Thailand. Villagers make giant rockets and launch them into the sky to "provide" abundant rainfall for a rice plantation. Rockets Festival is a period of "release steam" before the start of heavy fieldwork, so colorful parades, large dance performances are held during festivals. In May, the Rocket Festival is held in Phaya Thaen Park, Yasothon.

Launching massive rockets into the sky may not be the best way to ask the gods for rain, but that’s how Yasothon locals do it. Every place in the city becomes very noisy in Phaya Thaen Park during the festival.

Bun Bang Fai is a festival of the city of Yasoton, invented as a ceremony to attract good weather during the rice growing season. Rockets are used to “stimulate” rain clouds and ask the gods for abundant rain for newly planted crops.

Today’s climate change, driven by phenomena such as El Niño and global warming, suggests that this beautiful part of northeastern Thailand has been experiencing severe drought over the past few years. But it’s not just because of natural phenomena that this festival exists, the locals have turned it into something sporty.

During the festival, teams launch large rockets into the sky so that they take off as high as possible. The explosive components of the rockets, cunning designs of bamboo and gunpowder, are dangerous enough to cause damage to health and ensure that the inspector clogs the arteries. The launch starts with toasting and fun from the creators. Theatrical performances and traditional feasting accompany this literally explosive holiday.