Travel calendar: Lai Bangsaen Day, Chonburi Province (April)

       During the Songkran festival every year, Chonburi Province will hold a Lai Bangsaen Day event, which every year falls on 16-17 April. It is a tradition that the people of Tambon San Suk have practiced since ancient times, formerly known as the Wan Lai merit-making ceremony, which means that villages have come to make merit together. On the occasion of Songkran Festival, or Thai New Year's Day, monks are invited from every temple in Saen Suk Subdistrict. People come to perform a ceremony, make merit, offer food to monks, and pour water. Then, there are activities to build sand pagodas, splash water, play games and local sports, and more activities.

       In the event there will be important activities at Bangsaen beach. There is a contest to make a sand Buddha image at Bangsaen Wan Lai. It is a local tradition held by Saen Suk Municipality. There is also an offering of alms to make merit, and bathing Buddha images. People engage in sports competitions, Saba, dancing, running, tug-of-war, and Khao Lam relay races. Lots of food and local products will be on sale, and you can enjoy music performances by famous artists, singers, actors, and folk music.

       Each year, Lai Bangsaen Day has a large number of tourists coming to attend the event, so it is something that stimulates the economy and travel, and it preserves and promotes local traditions, making them widely known.