You may have noticed, Thais have a very strong belief in ghosts, or ‘Phi’ as they are called in Thailand. The spirits are worshiped every day by the majority of households in Thailand. So it should come as no surprise that there is an annual ghost festival. The Phi Ta Khon [ghost festival] takes place every year in the northern Thai town of Dan Sai, the ghost festival is actually the first day of a larger three day festival called Bun Luang.
The dates of the ghost festival change every year, they are chosen by a Shaman who selects an auspicious date anywhere between March and July. Modern scriptures state that the purpose of the ghost festival is to ask for the protection of ‘Phra U Pakat’, the spirit of the Mun river. The first 2 videos in the play-list give a very detailed description of the ghost festival traditions and history, well worth a watch if you want to know what it’s all about.