WE Smile Magazine June 2015
The In-Flight Magazine of Thai Smile Airways
The In-Flight Magazine of Thai Smile Airways
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TRAVEL<br />
ศูนย์รวมจิตใจ<br />
Spiritual Centre<br />
The festival at Chao Mae Tomo shrine<br />
started in 1952. Originally, Chao Mae Tomo<br />
was a goddess worshiped by the Hokkien<br />
people of Sukhirin district. When the<br />
French searched for gold in Sukhirin<br />
district, Chao Mae Tomo became a patron<br />
to miners and gold prospectors. After the<br />
image of the goddess was stolen during<br />
the Asia-Pacific War, the locals built a<br />
replica statue at Amphoe Vang. They<br />
moved it to Sungai Kolok’s Chao Mae Tomo<br />
Shrine five years later. Now, there is<br />
birthday celebration for the goddess every<br />
year on the 23rd of the third month.<br />
On festival day morning, the area<br />
around the shrine becomes lively with<br />
preparations for a colourful parade. A<br />
medium will invoke the spirit of a god first<br />
before calling forth the spirit of Chao Mae<br />
Tomo and other deities. The goddess’<br />
statue is then placed on a palanquin and<br />
carried through the town. Aside from the<br />
parade of deities, school children wearing<br />
bright colours also walk the streets and<br />
a procession of “Eng Kor” (Chinese mask<br />
dancers) drum up a lively atmosphere.<br />
When the parade begins, tourists and<br />
devoted worshipers line the streets. Shop<br />
houses open their doors, allowing the<br />
dragon dancers to bring in prosperity. At<br />
the same time, parents prepare to take<br />
photos of their children who have dressed<br />
up to partake in the parade.<br />
While most people think the three<br />
southernmost provinces in Thailand is<br />
filled with violence and tears, today Sungai<br />
Kolok is saturated with smiles and colour.
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