Thailand Celebrates Asahna Bucha Day – A Key Event for Buddhist Devotees

At the beginning of this month, Thailand celebrated Asahna Bucha Day which is an important event for Buddhists in the country. The exact date varies from year to year since it is held on the eighth lunar month’s first full moon and in 2023, it fell on 1st August which was thus a public holiday as well. On this day, devotees commemorate the first sermon of Lord Buddha at the Deer Park in Benares in which he spoke about the Noble Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths.

On this day, it is customary for locals to head to their ancestral homes, visit temples to make merit and engage in candlelit processions across the country including destinations such as Phuket; attractions aside, tourists can also look to visit temples on the island during this time to witness various traditions while staying at properties like Anantara Layan Phuket Resort. Interestingly, the day following Asahna Bucha Day is also important since it is the beginning of Wan Khao Phansa or ‘Buddhist Lent’; it marks the start of the rainy season when Buddhist monks stay within their temple or monastery for three months engaged in meditation, study, prayer, and teaching.