End of Buddhist Lent

After 3 months of staying in the temples, monks now can leave them. End of Buddhist Lent is also known as Bun Ok Phansa. In different provinces of Thailand End of Buddhist Lent is celebrated in different ways. In Nakhon Phanom province people make trunks of bamboo or banana trees into the shape of animals or boats with very beautiful decorations. These boats are released to float in the river with the assumption that they will carry away the bad.

Some people believe that by releasing the boats to float in the river gives respect to the Goddess of Water. In Surat Thani province with coming the ceremony of the End of Buddhist Lent people welcome Buddha returning from Heaven.