Traditional Sports at Phra Samut Chedi
The Temple Fair in Samut Prakan has now reached its fourth day. Today is the 8th day of the waning moon of the 11th lunar month. On this day every year, the local people from Phra Samut Chedi District come together to compete in various traditional games. The event was presided over by Mr. Surachai Khanasa, the Governor of Samut Prakan. The District Chief sent a flotilla of boats across the Chao Phraya River to pick up the Governor at the Provincial Hall and then escort him back to the waterfront at Phra Samut Chedi. As you can see from this first picture, the pagoda now has a brand new sacred red cloth which was wrapped around it on the first day of the Temple Fair.
In these picture, the people are competing to finish a thatched roof first. They are sewing together nipa palm leaves. This palm tree is very common in this district and people use the plant for many different commercial reasons.
