Two important occasions are being commemorated in Thailand today. Every year, October 23 is celebrated as Chulalongkorn Day which is an official public holiday in Thailand. Because the date falls on a Saturday this year, Monday (October 25) will be a public holiday. This year, the date also coincides with Awk Phansa and many Thai Buddhists have attended the temple to make merit.
There is added significance to Chulalongkorn Day this year because it is 100 years to the day since one of Thailand’s most revered figures, King Rama V (King Chulalongkorn), died. Thailand’s prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has attended a ceremony in King Chulalongkorn’s honour and given alms to monks in a Buddhist merit-making ceremony. Flowers and wreaths have also been laid at the equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn at the Royal Plaza in Bangkok.
The date of awk phansa varies from year to year because it depends on the lunar calendar. Awk Phansa marks the end of a period which is often referred to as Buddhist Lent or the Rains Retreat. Many Thai people attend the temple or special merit-making ceremonies on awk phansa which has added poignancy this year because of the flood crisis affecting large areas of Thailand.
