Temple Fair in Samut Prakan 2010 งานเจดีย์ 2553

[Richard Barrow]

1) I just read on your blog that there's a 24hr bus service between BKK and Samut Prakan. How long is the waiting time between each service and how long will be the travelling duration? Any idea about the cost of the bus fare? If I alight in the vicinity of Wat Phra Keow, does the return bus let me get down at the same stop as I alighted?

I am not sure on all the details. I think it will take you about 2.5 hours from there in rush hour. The price won't be much more than 20 baht. I am not exactly sure where you want to get on or which side of the road to catch it. Best to ask someone there if you are on the right side of the road for buses going to Samut Prakan. If you are near the sky train, best to go to the end of the route at On Nut and then it is 40 minutes to Samut Prakan by bus.

2) Will I be in time to participate in the evening action if I set off from BKK at about 4pm? i.e. when does the event round off each night?

The temple fair is open all day but the roads through town are closed at about 5 p.m. so from that time onwards there is a lot more to see and do.

3) Besides the concerts, what are to be expected on the last 2 nights on 19/10 and 20/10?

There are no special events planned other than the concerts in the City Hall Plaza area.

4) Any advice on what will be good to bring along / offer as respect at the chedi?

You can buy lotus flowers and incense sticks at the temple. Don't forget, the Chedi is on the other side of the river to the City Hall. You need to catch a ferry boat across from the market.

[Richard Barrow]

Mr. Surachai Khanasa, seen here wearing green on the right, took part in a ceremony this morning to seek good luck for the period of the Temple Fair. However, one thing that might be unavoidable is the daily high tide. We are coming to the end of the rainy season and Chao Phraya River is starting to be at its highest level due to the run off from up north. Basically, from now onwards, any tide that is higher than three meters will cause flooding on the roads and at the City Hall Plaza (see above). This will cause chaos with the traffic, stall holders and for people coming to the fair. The following are the times of the high tides during the Temple Fair. For the rest of the day, the roads should be dry. Unless it rains of course.

Friday 9th October: 9.11 a.m. (3.05 meters), 2.21 p.m. (2.24 meters), 6.36 p.m. (2.86 meters)

Saturday 10th October: 10.24 a.m. (3.02 meters), 3.05 p.m. (2.45 meters), 6.58 p.m. (2.85 meters)

Sunday 11th October: 11.47 p.m. (3.0 meters), 4.11 p.m. (2.62 meters), 7.22 p.m. (2.79 meters)

Monday 12th October: 1.07 p.m. (3.02 meters)

Tuesday 13th October: 2.13 p.m. (3.06 meters)

Wednesday 14th October: 3 p.m. (3.08 meters)

Thursday 15th October: 3.33 p.m. (3.09 meters)

Friday 16th October: 4 p.m. (3.06 meters)

Saturday 17th October: 4.24 p.m. (3.04 meters)

Sunday 18th October: 5.22 a.m. (2.95 meters), 4.44 p.m. (2.95 meters)

Monday 19th October: 6.13 a.m. (3.11 meters) 4.58 p.m. (2.89 meters)

Tuesday 20th October: 6.59 a.m. (3.16 meters) 5.11 p.m. (2.87 meters)

Read more: http://www.paknam.com/latest-news/high-tide-table-during-temple-fair.html

[yy]

=) Very important info for me... The high tide coincides with the time I will be most probably be reaching... Now I will wear capri pants and slippers... Worst feeling is water in covered shoes

[Richard Barrow]

=) Very important info for me... The high tide coincides with the time I will be most probably be reaching... Now I will wear capri pants and slippers... Worst feeling is water in covered shoes

Hopefully it won't be that bad. Normally a 3 meter tide won't give us floods on Sukhumwit Road. But, I think last night it must have rained either in Bangkok or further north and this coupled with high tide cause the floods. We didn't actually have any rain ourselves. Imagine what it would have been like this morning if it had rained too. If we are lucky, the river won't be so high next week.

[Panrit "Gor" Daoruang]

This morning I went to take some pictures of the ceremony in front of the Rama V statue to inform the gods and angels in heaven of the intention to hold the temple fair in Samut Prakan. I arrived there just before 8.30 a.m. and was in time to get the pictures of the governor (green shirt), his wife (white shirt) and his daughter (orange polo shirt) walking through the flood. It's ironic that they are supposed to receive good luck from the ceremony but flooding wasn't really called for!



Walking through the flood at the city hall.



Performing the ceremony. The guy in the white clothes is the Brahman priest.







Walking to the cross-river boat to perform the same ceremony at Phra Samut Chedi side.

[Panrit "Gor" Daoruang]

Performing the ceremony at Phra Samut Chedi side.











After the ceremony finished, all the food went to the people.

[yy]

=) Ya, hope it won't be that bad...

[yy]

=) Maybe the water (the floods) is there to wash away all the bad luck impeding the temple fair haha...

[Jasonkoh82]

Haha if the water is there to wash away all the bad luck, i might as well go for a swim? Or maybe the water is still not deep enough to go for a swim

[yy]

=) Ok you swim, and I will watch and put it on TCB hahahaha!