Mae Hong Son Activities

Muang Sam Mok Tradition

Muang Sam Mok which we called “Mae Hong Son” came from the ravine city state and surrounded with complicated hill paralleled with Thanon Thong Chai Range and Daen: ao Range, causing of foggy covered throughout the year, especially in rainy season densely with soggy, gentle foggy in winter and smoke screen from forest burning in summer.

Provincial tradition will be arranged annually with a fair of government agencies, private companies and various organizations disseminated the products of each agency and the amusement provided there.

Poi Sang Long (Buad Luk Kaew)

Annually tradition between March and May.

This tradition is the highlight of over all Mae Hong Son tradition and it is Thai Yai transcript tradition. Male descendants will enter the priesthood as novice during school semester closing. The folks believe that the ordination of novice or Luk Kaew is more merit than 21 year old ordination.

Beautiful dressing when finished shaved hair off and decorated with chain, bracelet, ring and using cloth wrapped on the head like Myanmar style, but long socks on, wear Salong, put the powder on the face and lips.

Bua Tong Festival

Each year in November, the hillsides of Amphoe Khum Yuam and Amphoe Mae Sariang are filled with a host of golden Bua Tong or wild sunflower blooms. As gay as a daisy and almost as a sunflower, the Bua Tong only blossoms about 30 days. This enough reason for Mae Hong Son provincial to hold the Bua Tong Blossom Festival at Amphoe Khun Yuam.

At Amphoe Khum Yuam's Doi Mae U-Kho, the blossoms appear profusely. Finally, the golden blooms become part of the scene. Some specialists have classified these Bua Tong as weed and because of this, they may be cleared to make way for cash crops. Fortunately a group of researchers have discovered the flower's insect-repellent properties. And perhaps that is why the Bua Tong, a symbol of Mae Hong Son, is still preserved on the hillsides.

Loi Krathong Festival

Loi Krathong Festival is held on the full moon night in the month of November every year. Villagers make "Krathongs" to float in rivers. At Nong Chong Kham, various entertainment and a contest of large krathongs are held near the central pond. Lamps and candles are lit all around the area. Moreover, at Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu, there is a ceremony of releasing candle-lit krathongs bound with balloons to the sky (known as "Loi Krathong Sawan").

Poi Sang Long Procession

This is in fact the celebration of novice ordination which the Thai Yai tribe people hold

to be a highly meritorious occasion. Traditionally, the candidate-novice, his head cleanly shaven and wrapped with head-cloth in the Burmese style, will don a prince-like garment and put on valuable jewels and gems, and ride a horse or be carried over the shoulders of a man to the city shrine. Then he will visit abbots of various monasteries to beg for forgiveness. On the ordination eve, a procession of offerings and other necessary personal belongings will be paraded through the town streets and then placed at the monastery where the ordination will take place the next day. It is usually held during March-May before the Buddhist Rain Retreat period.

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