Uttaradit:A network of government and private sector partners in Tha Pla District held a press conference today at the auditorium of Tha Pla Pracha Uthit School to announce the "Tha Pla District's Best Products Festival The World's Only Funny Ghost Parade" scheduled for 2026. The event will occur from November 2nd to 8th at the multipurpose area of the Tha Pla District Office, with the Charim Subdistrict Municipality as the main host.
According to Thai News Agency, the festival will feature seven consecutive days and nights of entertainment. Tourists will have the opportunity to enjoy local cultural performances from Tha Pla District, where residents were relocated due to the construction of the Sirikit Dam. The event will include demonstrations of traditional crafts, a nostalgic "traditional market," and various entertainment options such as Muay Thai boxing, singing and dancing competitions, a "Miss Burning Jasmine" beauty pageant, and retro-style folk dancing.
A major highlight of the festival is the "Funny Ghost Parade," a unique cultural tradition with a history spanning over 200-300 years. This ancient tradition involves elderly villagers and wise men creating "ghost heads" using materials such as woven bamboo, coconut husks, and palm sheaths. These ghost heads, decorated and painted to appear frightening, are paraded during the end of Buddhist Lent as a reminder to do good deeds.
The Tha Pla District Cultural Council is actively working to preserve and develop this tradition, which serves as a warning against committing evil deeds. The festival offers both locals and tourists the chance to experience this unique tradition and learn about its history, while also promoting cultural preservation and community engagement.