Yasothon
Yasothon General Information
Yasothon is famous for its boisterous Rocket Festival every May,when giant home-made missiles are launched into the air in a symbolic rain-making gesture.
In the town at Wat Mahathat,Phra That Yasothon is a much-visited Lao-style chedi,said to be over 1,200 years old. It enshrines holy relics of Phra Ananda,one of Lord Buddha's chief disciples. That Kong Khao Noi is an ancient Khmer chedi with a much revered brick and stucco Buddha that is ritually bathed every April. The handicraft village of Ban Si Than is famed for the triangular pillows used in most Thai households.
Yasothon has an area of 4,161 square kilometres. It is divided into the following districts: Muang, Kham Khuean Kaeo, Maha Chana Chai, Pa Tio, Loeng Nok Tha, Kut Chum, Kho Wang, Sai Mun and Thai Charoen.
Yasothon Festival Information
- Rocket Festival
The festival of great fun is held during every second weekend of May at Phaya Thaen Park, with the initial objective to boost harmony in each team. Yasothon people also believe that the festival will please gods and sacred spirit which create proper rain and prosperous food.
Each rocket joining the celebration will be decorated beautifully with Thai traditional patterns in gold colour. It is said that rocket maker spends months in cutting the pattern before gluing with the rocket. The rocket head will be decorated differently, but the most popular figure is naga spraying water. Rocket head may be found decorated with other figures, anyway, all are related to rain-begging legends. The rocket will be tightly place on base attached to car or cart for joining the parade.
There are various types of rocket, namely Bang Fai Kilo, Bang Fai Muen, and Bang Fai Saen. Bang Fai Kilo means the rocket contains a kilogram of niter Bang Fai Muen contains 12 kilograms of niter and Bang Fai Saen contains 120 kilograms of niter After making decision what type of rocket they will make, the villager will make it by themselves or assign a specialist. In making a rocket, it requires veteran specialist who can calculate proper proportion of niter and charcoal, otherwise, the rocket will be explode during the launching. The rockets will be tightly tied with a pile, making from a very strait bamboo trunk at proper length.
The rocket will be launched in big field a day after the parade. Traditionally, owner of the rocket which is not launched unsuccessfully will be thrown into muddy pond.
- Garland Festival
The ancient festival of Ban Yat Fa, Amphoe Maha Chana Chai, is held annually during Makha Pucha Day. Buddhist believes that on that day, the Lord Buddha comes back from the heaven after preaching his mother. Angels welcome him back with flowers and rice. Such belief is turned into tradition when villagers make beautiful garland from rice (The rice will be baked until it pops like popcorn). Today the rice garland, 4-6 metres long, will be decorated with flowers and beads. The garland will be shown on beautiful and unique parade, and used for decorating temples pavilion a day before Makha Pucha.
Yasothon Attactions Information
- Phra Phutthabat Yasothon
Situated in Wa Phra Phutthabat Yasothon, the hall enshrines the Lord Buddha's Footprint in the form of a white sand dune at the fertile ara of the Chi River.
- Phu Tham Phra
This large cave, located to the west of the mountain, houses countless sacred Buddha images.
- Wat Maha That
Wat Maha That is an important temple of the province in the town. The building of importance here is Phra That Yasothon or Phra That Anon, an ancient square pagoda with the top similar to that of Phra That Phanom. The architecture is in the Laotian style which was popular in the late Ayutthaya to early Rattanakosin periods. The pagoda houses the relics of Phra Anon. A state minister from Si Sattana Khanahut (Vientiane) who took migrants to settle here about 200 years ago constructed it around 1778.
Another historical site within the compound is the scripture hall that is in the Isan art style. The doorway and the door are beautiful carved woods with exquisite lacquer designs. The designs on the walls show a mixture of art from the Central Region. Built during the reigns of Rama IV and Rama V of the Rattanakosin period, the hall stores scriptures on dried palm leaves and art objects from Vientiane.
- Ban Si Than
Ban Si Than is where typical pillows are made. The village is 20 kilometres from Yasothon on the way to Amnat Charoen. Villagers make Khit pillows and weave after the harvest is done. They are famous products of the province.
**Information Reference : tourismthailand.org
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