Chonburi: The annual Khanom Khrok alms giving ceremony in Phanat Nikhom district of Chonburi Province is a significant cultural event that highlights the region's rich traditions. This year, the Wat Bot Subdistrict Khanom Khrok Alms Giving Ceremony drew a crowd to the temple hall, showcasing an ancient practice deeply rooted in the community's way of life.
According to Thai News Agency, the ceremony is an integral part of the Buddhist Lent period, where villagers congregate to prepare Khanom Khrok, a type of Thai coconut pancake. Participants bring soaked rice to the temple, grind it using traditional stone mills, and combine it with coconut milk and sugar. The mixture is then poured into clay molds to create the pancakes, which are offered as part of the monks' midday meal. This practice, unique to Chonburi Province and the Eastern region of Thailand, is one of only five such traditions remaining in the country. Efforts are underway to register it as an intangible cultural heritage of Chonburi Province by 2026, under the branch of social practice and rituals.
The event also featured a coconut grating competition, in which participants used traditional coconut graters. Ms. Daranai Charoensuk emerged as the winner by grating 500 grams of coconut, showcasing her skill in this traditional activity.