The Spring Plowing Festival, which began during the Sukhothai Kingdom period, is a traditional Thai holiday and one of the royal ceremonies. It is held annually in May, at the start of the rainy season, when the royal family selects an auspicious day to perform a ceremony at the Royal Plowing Field in Bangkok. The festival celebrates the beginning of the planting season and prays for favorable weather and abundant harvests.
Thailand has long been an agricultural society, with around 80% of the population still working in agriculture. As such, the whole country treats this day as a grand celebration. The King and members of the royal family attend the Spring Plowing Festival ceremony at the Royal Plowing Field in Bangkok, making it a highly formal and significant event.
Auspicious Grain Ceremony: The day before the Spring Plowing Festival, the King and royal family members go to the Emerald Buddha Temple to perform a Buddhist ceremony. Senior monks chant auspicious scriptures, after which the King presents holy water, a royal ring, and a royal sword to the Minister of Agriculture for use in the Spring Plowing ritual. At the same time, the “Chief Plow Officer” and the “Four Maidens”, who will participate in the next day’s plowing ceremony, also visit the Emerald Buddha Temple to pay their respects and receive blessings from the King.
Spring Plowing Ritual: This is the main event of the Spring Plowing Festival. The Royal Plowing Field in Bangkok is filled with excitement as people eagerly await the mysterious and colorful plowing ceremony. At 7:30 a.m. on the festival day, Brahmin priests lead the “Chief Plow Officer”, the “Four Maidens”, and an ancient music band from the Emerald Buddha Temple. Two of the Four Maidens carry gold and silver baskets filled with the best seeds from the royal palace. The music band plays as they proceed to the Royal Plowing Field, awaiting the King’s arrival. At around 8 a.m., the ceremony begins with the King and Queen lighting incense and candles to worship the deities. The Chief Plow Officer then worships the gods and prays for guidance on the year’s rainfall.
Sowing Auspicious Grains: During the ceremony, the agricultural minister holds a plow in one hand and a cattle prod in the other, while surrounded by an escort, and begins to plow on the field in circles. The Four Maidens scatter seeds of various grains, while the Brahmin priests sprinkle holy water on the newly sown earth. After the sowing is complete, the gathered farmers rush forward to collect the lucky grains, which they mix with their own seeds before planting them in hopes of a bountiful harvest the following year.
Finally, the King awards prizes to the winners of the national rice competition and outstanding workers from agricultural cooperatives.
