Shaking up the Soul

With the temperatures dropping as the monsoon rains take hold, Loei province in Thailand’s Northeast is a wonderful place to spend some time. And no time is better than this weekend when the small district of Dan Sai is over-run by ghosts that are far more humorous than horrific. The Phi Ta Khon Festival, which runs from Friday through Sunday morning, is a colourful event that’s unique to Dan Sai, one that sees the men don weird-looking ghost masks and wear a huge wood phallus to tease the visitors – the women in particular.

The famous festival, which draws thousands of visitors every year, features colourful parades led by “ghosts” and “fearsome creatures” who play with the crowds and occasionally wag and wave a whopping great pink wood penis at onlookers.

PHOOWADON DUANGMEE, THE NATION June 24, 2015 1:00am, URL: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/travel/Shaking-up-the-soul-30262936.html