The archives were closed AGAIN yesterday, due to another holiday associated with monarchy. I hope you all had a pleasant and prosperous 'Ploughing Day.'
This ancient Brahmin rite has been celebrated in many ways in Thailand over the years with Buddhist elements added in the Rama IV era (1868-1910). The Royal plowing ceremony marks the beginning of the rice-planting season. This ceremony was discontinued after the Thai military deposed the monarchy in 1932, but in the 1950s efforts to revive the role of monarchy led to its reintroduction.
The modern one-day version of the ceremony (and reintroduction of the ploughing itself) dates from 1960. The actions of the oxen pulling the plough are said to foretell a good or bad growing season. In recent times large crowds gather at Sanam Luang (The royal field across from Wat Prakaew) to witness the event and collect the seeds used in the ceremony.
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