Wan Khao Phansa Pattaya

Wan Khao Phansa, literally means retreat from the rain  day. This Buddhist holiday is normally celebrated at the end of July and marks the beginning of the observance of Buddhist Lent, throughout the Kingdom. It is a time when Thai young novices are elevated to the monk-hood. During the rainy season (See Weather page) monk's are forbidden from sleeping outside their temples. They must also refrain from wearing anything but their monk's robes. The tradition stems from when Buddha stayed in temples during the rainy period to avoid killing insects and damaging growing shoots in the fields.It is therefore a period of study. Traditionally, because of the darker conditions the populace made ornate candles to help the monks to read and write. These ornate candles have now become central to the processions that are carried out in towns throughout Thailand.