Ayutthaya World Heritage & Red Cross Fair: 10-19 Dec

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, in collaboration with the relevant government agencies, private sector, and people of Ayutthaya, have organised the Fair to celebrate the “World Heritage City” every year under the name of “Ayutthaya World Heritage”.

The Fair will also include a Red Cross Fair, in which, this year, will take place during 10 - 19 December, 2010, at Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Historical Park under the name of “Ayutthaya World Heritage and Red Cross Fair 2010”. The fair features the following activities:

1. Inviting the Buddha’s relic to the merit making ceremony called Thaksinanupathan, in which offerings are made to monks on behalf of the deceased, at Wat Mahathat on 6 December, 2010.

2. Light and sound show and the reproduced atmosphere of the Ayutthaya Kingdom period. The light and sound show at Wat Mahathat will depict the history of the Ayutthaya Kingdom period of 417 years. This year, Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University will be responsible for the performance’s production, which will deploy at least 350 - 400 performers. The audience will admire the talent of elephants in the different scenes. Each round of the show has a capacity of 2,500 seats. The show will be offered twice a day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and once a day on Monday to Thursday.

The reproduced atmosphere of the Ayutthaya Kingdom period fair will be provided for people to enjoy before seeing the light and sound show at Wat Mahathat. This year, there are activities of “San Sin Thin Moradok Lok” between 16.00 - 21.00 hrs. at Wat Langkha Khao.

The acitivities feature:
The reproduced atmosphere of a retro market that will showcase a market
with vendors wearing the old Ayutthaya style clothing and the use of ancient coins (Phot Duang) in exchange for Thai food and desserts.

Floating market will be a reproduction of the Thai’s way of life along the
river featuring the trading of goods where visitors can participate in the activities by buying goods and tasting food sold from the boats.

“San Sin Thin Ahan Thai” (Inherit the arts of local Thai food) activities: There are cooking contests of Thai food (main dishes and desserts) and auspicious food in various categories; for example, a contest of making spicy sauce, cooking tamarind flavoured soup (Kaeng Som), in which the contestants will come from food shops, restaurants, and hotels in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province. The winner on each day will receive a plaque and a certificate.

The reproduced atmosphere of a retro show - watching and eating is a creation of virtual reality offering visitors to participate in the activities by eating like in ancient times; for example, sit-down eating on an old-style-wooden seat with a set of ancient food, which is rare to find, with female court servants providing services. Visitors, particularly, can enjoy food from the winner of the cooking contest, which this could be a motivation for participants, both Thai and foreigners, to taste the authentic food cooked by the people of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.

“San Sin Thin Dontri Thai” (Inherit the arts of Thai music) activities: The competition of the Thai country contemporary bands to win the trophy awarded by H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

This will be a presentation of the contemporary Thai country bands competition by applying Thai musical instruments or folk musical instruments with Western musical instruments to play country music in a contemporary style; the bands will play country songs that contain melodies from the original Thai traditional songs combined with a solo to show the talents and professionalism of the musicians on Thai and international  musical instruments, which are subtle and witty, resulting in creatively beautiful works played all together that lead to the motivation and inspiration to the participants to realise the importance of Thai arts and cultural conservation.

3. Floating market activities.
At the venue, the area of Bueng Phra Ram is a swamp which is suitable for
a floating market atmosphere to lure visitors to buy food, desserts, and fruits offered by vendors who sell food from the boats; such as, stir-fried Thai noodles (Phat Thai), boat noodles, deep-fried meat balls, old-style coffee, peeled and chopped sugar cane, water chestnuts, and boiled sweet potatoes.

4. Main stage performances.For the elephant beauty pageant, before the contest, all contestants will be educated on health issues including eating, exercise, and how to keep healthy for overweight persons. 

For the beauty pageant of the Old Capital (Strict dad and pretty daughter), the contest aims to promote the family institution and offer a shared activity between father and daughter. Last year, the beauty pageant was held under the concept of “Young looking mom and pretty daughter”.

5. The showcase and sales of local wisdom products “OTOP”. There will be community products of the province (OTOP) from 16 districts to sell to visitors including the highlighted products of other surrounding provinces, which will be displayed and sold.

6. The festival of Ayutthaya’s delicious foods. The best foods and desserts in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province from various hotels in town or from the best restaurants of each district will be offered in the festival.

7. Red Cross Fair. The provincial Red Cross has organized activities of Red Cross booths, and Red Cross drawing tickets to raise funds for the province’s charity activities.

8. A trolley riding service. Since the area of the Fair around Bueng Phra Ram covers an extensive
space, visitors, who are interested in seeing around the area, can be facilitated with a trolley riding service.

Program of Activities

1. Opening Ceremony on Friday 10 December 2010 in the light and sound performance area, Wat Mahathat
2. Ceremony to pay respect to the Lord Buddha's Relics at Chao Sam Phraya National Museum
3. Light and sound performance. “ยอยศกษัตรา ยศยิ่งฟ้าก้องปฐพี”
4. Recreating the atmosphere of the Ayutthaya era (at Yon Market, Wat Lan Ka Khao, light and sound performance area)
5. Floating market at Bueng Phraram, near King U-Thong Monument
6. Performances on Central Stage
Traditional folk music performance on 10 December 2010
Luk Thung music contest  from 11-16 December 2010 (students and general public, village leaders and members of local government)
Ancient Capital Beauty Queen contest
(“possessive father and beautiful daughter”) on 17 December 2010.
Jumbo Queen contest on 18 December 2010
Special Red Cross charity lottery draw on 19 December 2010
7. Red Cross fair
8. OTOP product exhibition and trade fair
9. Food festival at Khum Khun Pan
10. Electric train tour
11. Merchandize fair, Thai Li-kay (folk drama) and cinema : free admission

Program of Performances on Central Stage

Friday 10 December 2010
6.00-10.00 pm     Traditional folk music performance, Nakorn Luang District

Saturday 11 December 2010
6.00- 10.00 pm     Luk Thung singing contest (elementary school level)

Sunday 12 December 2010
6.00-10.00 pm     Luk Thung singing contest (high school level)

Monday 13 December 2010
6.00-10.00 pm    Luk Thung singing contest (university students and general public)

Tuesday 14 December 2010
6.00-10.00 pm    Luk Thung singing contest (village leaders and members of    local government)

Wednesday 15 December 2010
6.00-10.00 pm    Luk Thung singing contest (final rounds for elementary school, high school, university levels and general public)

Thursday 16 December 2010
6.00-10.00 pm    Luk Thung singing contest (village leaders and members of    local government)

Friday 17 December 2010
6.00-10.00 pm    Ancient Capital Beauty Queen contest (“possessive father and beautiful daughter”)  

Saturday 18 December 2010
6.00-10.00 pm     Jumbo Queen contest.

Sunday 19 December 2010
6.00-09.00 pm    Khao-Ma costume contest
9.00-10.00 pm    Charity lottery

Light and sound performance “ยอยศกษัตรา ยศยิ่งฟ้าก้องปฐพี” at Wat Mahathat
Tickets: 500 baht and 200 baht

Friday 10, Monday 13- Thursday 16 December 2010
One performance per day from 7.30-9.30 pm

Saturday 11, Sunday 13, Friday 17, Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 December 2010
Two performances per day:  7.00-8.00 pm and 9.00-10.30 pm.

For details and tickets, contact Ayutthaya Provincial Administration Office
Tel…0-3533-6563 และ 0-3533-5244 

TAT Ayutthaya Office Tel…0-3524-6076-7
Thai Ticket Major Tel….0-2262-3456

Posted in: Ayutthaya