The Rocket Festival ประเพณีบุญบั้งไฟ Bun Bang Fai is a merit-making ceremony traditionally practiced by ethnic Lao people at the beginning of the wet season in various villages and municipalities in Northeastern Thailand and Laos.
The festivities typically include music and dance performances, competitive processions of floats, dancers and musicians on the second day, and culminating on the third day with the competitive firing of homemade rockets.
Local participants and sponsors take advantage of the occasion to enhance their social prestige, as is customary in traditional Buddhist folk festivals throughout Southeast Asia.
The festival in Thailand also includes special programs and specific local patterns like Bang Fai (Parade dance) and a Beautiful Bang Fai float such as Yasothon on the third weekend of May, and continues Suwannaphum District, Roi Et on the first weekend of June, Phanom Phrai District Roi Et during the full moon of the seventh month in Lunar year's calendar each year.
Related to the Chinese Fire Arrow, Bang Fai are made from bamboo bongs. Most contemporary ones, however, are enclosed in PVC piping, making them less dangerous by standardizing their sizes and black-powder charges (which contest rules require be compounded by the rocketeers, themselves).
Bang Fai come in various sizes, competing in several categories. Small ones are called Bang Fai Noi. Bang Fai Lan are nine metres long and charged with 120 kg of black powder. These may reach altitudes of several kilometers, and travel dozens of kilometers down range (they can go in any direction, including right through the crowd).
Competing rockets are scored for apparent height, distance, and beauty of the vapour trail.
This is a great part of the regions culture and it’s worth seeing if you get a chance.
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