New Year's Eve, Chiang Mai, Thailand

สวัสดีปีใหม่  (Sawatdee Pi Mai) or: Happy New Year!

Passing by a brightly lit temple around midnight, I was drawn by the chanting of many voices emanating from within the compound so I wandered over to see what was happening.  

It was rather disconcerting to see hundreds of worshippers sitting with white thread curled around the crown of their heads and joined to a latticed frame above.  Everyone was connected in this way: from the monks at the front, seated before a Buddha statue, to the worshippers seated both outside and inside the temple buildings.  The photos don't give the whole 'feel' of the Buat Chee Phruam ceremony - I wish I'd thought of filming a video clip.

People gather together and link themselves with white thread in order to allow the holy and auspicious prayers to better reach their soul and heart.  They believe they will receive good deeds and release inner strength in this way.  Apparently, sometimes cars and motorbikes are linked too thereby seeking safe travelling for the drivers.   

Soon after this, floating lanterns were lit and released into the night sky symbolising the bad sins of last year going away. The Diamond Grand Hotel with the jewel-like lanterns drifting above seemed appropriate.  At the same time, multiple fireworks were exploding across the city in colourful showers. And the booms reverberated loudly in all directions.  


With a few of my new friends here in Chiang Mai, I experienced a New Year's Eve which was different from those of previous years.  As with Christmas Day last week, it is somewhat strange to have high temperatures, sunny blue skies and yet see the seasonal decorations all around.

The King is so central to every aspect of life in Thailand that  pictures of him are prominently displayed among the decorations.

Celebrating the arrival of 2015 with friends was a joyful event and we expressed how blessed we felt to be in this welcoming city at this point in our life journeys.  I think we were the only 'farangs' (foreigners) in Star Avenue, but we made the effort to wear white, in line with Thai and Buddhist tradition, to indicate the casting off of the previous year and being pure for the new one.  

As we eat Thai cuisine so often, we took pot luck and tried out a new Mexican restaurant!! The food was delicious and filling, furthermore it was lovely to be able to eat outside in the warm air and watch the revellers passing by, whilst music boomed down to us from the party on the roof.