Samut Prakan

Samutprakarn Province widely know as "Muang Pak Nam" is located at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, north to the Gulf of Thailand and twenty-five kilometers from Bangkok. The whole area covers 1,004 square kilometers of alluvial plain, crisscrossed by canals, causing some areas to be flooded. The water in these canals is briny in the dry season. Most of the area is covered with paddy fields and orchards, with groves of Samae (a small tree of the family Myrsinaceae), prong (a plant of the genus Cycas), the mangrove and nipa palms. Well known goods from this province are “Khanom Chak” or sweetened sticky rice wrapped by nipa palm leaves and dried gourami.

Festival & Events

Phra Samut Chedi Worship Festival

This is the great fair for which people from all over the country come to worship the revered chedi. The fair is held annually for 9 days and 9 nights, starting from the fifth day of the waning moon in the eleventh month of the lunar calendar. During the festival, there are contests held for the best-looking procession in presenting the cloth to cover the Phra Samut Chedi. The procession will be run through the streets around the Pak Nam Market, then be brought onto boats going down the Chao Phraya River until it reaches the Phra Pradaeng District Office and return to Ong Phra Samut Chedi. There are also the walk around the Phra Samut Chedi (wian tian walk, while holding lighted candles, around a temple), boat racing in the Chao Phraya River, local entertainments, and many local products on sale. From Samut Prakan town to Phra Samut Chedi, there are daily boat ferries in front of Wibunsri Market around the clock.

Yon Bua Festival

This is a festival which goes back a long, long time for the Bang Phli, people and which have been followed by generations after one another. It is held yearly on the thirteenth day and the early morning of the fourteenth day of the waxing moon in the eleventh month of the lunar calendar. The festival consists of worshipping and parading of Luang Pho To, both on land and by boat, competitions of local activities such as arranging a lotus tray, boat decoration contests, and folk entertainments such as Phleng Rua (traditional singing in boats). In the early morning of the fourteenth day, the Yon Bua Festival is held, people will toss lotus onto the boat bearing the Luang Pho To Buddha image. They also toss lotus to the people from out of town in boats who also come to join in the festival as a sign of making merit together.

A Boat-race in front of Muang Phra Pradaeng

This boat-race has been continually organized since Phra Pradaeng held the position of a province up until now. The race falls on the fourth day of the waning moon, the eleventh lunar month of every year.

Luang Pho Pan Worship Fair

It is the Bang Bo peoples annual fair, held on the eighth day of the waxing moon in the twelfth month of the lunar calendar to commemorate and celebrate Luang Pho Pans virtue.

Pak Lat Songkran Fair (Phra Pradaeng)

It is held yearly on the first Sunday after Songkran Day (April 13th). The townspeople in cooperation with Amphoe Muang Phra Pradaeng celebrate the Songkran Day according to the local Songkran Festival of Raman (Mon) people. Songkran beauty pageants parade, freeing birds and fish, and traditional folk entertainment such as Saba (a pitch and toss game), Thayaemon (a musical composition of Mon) and Mon dancing are included in this fair.