Rocket Festivals

[ajarnjimbo]

I know Yasothon has a great rocket festival from 8 May 2009 until 10 May 2009. Is there one in Nong Khai around the same date??

[Thaicoon]

I know Yasothon has a great rocket festival from 8 May 2009 until 10 May 2009. Is there one in Nong Khai around the same date??

Hi there,

There is one in Non Bua Lampo area sometime in May, not really sure of the date, i think middle of may, went to it a couple of years back with some mates who live up there, amazing.

[Cuban]

Yasothon does have the biggest/best, IMHO, we were there a few years ago - unfortunately will miss this years show.

Most towns will have something on this weekend - but not of the size in Yasothon.

If you have not done so before it's worth the trip. Take plently of camera media and leave any safety awareness in your car - it's staggering that no one is killed.

In fact the safety record is far from ideal and deaths do occur - I was surprised that none were injured when I was last there - a 120kg powered rocket looked likely to hit the crowd but powered off into the skies unguided with no form of control - I later heard that it had hit a tree in a village some 10 Km away.

Go see it before it's banned.

(Yes airlines are warned about the rockets and flight paths are changed for the weekend.)

[IssanDM]

Here in the sprawling metropolis of Borabu we too are having one of our rocket festivals. My town is a good 1 hour drive south of Khon Kaen but the rockets are no less spectacular. It is true there is no safety standards so be prepared and above all, have fun!

[rick75]

I went to it last year in Rattanaburi, I was surprissed no one was killed, great day out sitting back under the trees enjoying a few beers and the rockets.

[BigSnake]

I know Yasothon has a great rocket festival from 8 May 2009 until 10 May 2009. Is there one in Nong Khai around the same date??

Yasothon has by far the best Rocket Festival that I have seen in the Kindgom, just beware if you attend one, things can sometime go amock, as it did year before last in good old Yasothon, luckily on some minor injures and some broken Egos

[kamalabob2]

Can someone please explain the deal with "Monks gamble on rockets". Sounds like an O.I.T. thing.

[KhaoNiaw]

I much prefer the village festivals to the major organized ones. But there seems to have been a change in the last few years where the main focus seems to have become the gambling. Less of the fun, getting dunked in the mud, the music and general madness. A couple of the wife's sisters have almost become professional rocket gamblers at this time of year, going out to different provinces and villages 4-5 days per week. They don't play for high stakes but on a good day they will make a couple of thousand baht. But there are some people out there playing with big big money.

[Cuban]

A few points of information.

The rockets are a mixture of home built and practiced amature, they are generally a simple tube filled with propellant - light the touch paper (some with remote electronic system) and run away - quite literally!

Few have anything as advanced as tail fins in flight guidance doe not exist.

These are daylight events - no colored displays or many 'planned' bangs.

The test is to produce a rocket that travels straight up the furthest. (Bet on the out come.)

If the newbies' rocket fails or otherwise deserves ridicual the owner/builder is taken and dumped in a pit of muddy water - it's all good fun as many people have been drinking for a few hours before 'take off'.

Apart from the normal food stalls and people selling drink etc. you can generally buy your own mini-rockets to take home. I can't remember the cost but they were very cheap and gave family and friends in the village a few hours of fun with our own contest in the days following.

HTH

[phutoie2]

Our town has an annual Bang Fi and we are in south of Petchabun province.

My wife informs me that many North Eastern province people moved over many years ago and brought the custom with them.

The floats I believe are still hired from Yasothon.

Our festival is over two days, the first day is a dancing competition between all the Moo's and the second is the firing of the rockets.

From what I have observed from ours the gambling is on how long each rocket stays the longest in the air, there is a huge LED screen put up which records the timings.

Sadly the last two years our festival has been spoiled with brawls by gangs of drunken youths and incidents of gold being stolen from individuals whilst wearing such items. Old fashioned muggings!

Still a very good weekend , just have your wits about you and know when to leave.

A piccy from last years.

Edited May 9, 2009 by phutoie2

[pnustedt]

Take plently of camera media and leave any safety awareness in your car - it's staggering that no one is killed.

Don't be surprised if a rocket lands on your car!

[Cuban]

Video of a 2009 Rocket - this is a small one.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2806470/120k..._bottle_rocket/