Chao Pho Phaya Lae Monument Celebration

Open Days: January 12 – 20 Every Year

Opening Hours: Activities Take Place Throughout The Day And Evening According To The Annual Schedule; Major Ceremonies Begin In The Early Morning Of January 12

 

The Chao Pho Phaya Lae Monument Celebration in Chaiyaphum, commonly known as the Chao Pho Phaya Lae Festival, is one of the most important annual events in Chaiyaphum Province. It is held every year from January 12 to January 20 around the Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) Monument, also known locally as the Chao Pho Phaya Lae Monument, in the heart of Chaiyaphum city and around the area in front of Chaiyaphum Provincial Hall. The festival honors Chao Pho Phaya Lae, or Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae), the first founder of Chaiyaphum and a heroic figure remembered for his loyalty, gratitude, courage, and sacrifice.

 

For foreign travelers, this festival is one of the best opportunities to understand the cultural heart of Chaiyaphum. It combines history, faith, Buddhist practice, local spirit belief, provincial identity, community pride, food, performances, processions, OTOP products, Red Cross activities, and agricultural exhibitions in one large annual event. It is not simply a town fair. It is a living expression of gratitude toward the founder of Chaiyaphum and a major gathering that brings together people from all 16 districts of the province.

 

Chao Pho Phaya Lae, historically known as Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae), is the central figure of Chaiyaphum’s local history. He is remembered as the first ruler and founder of Chaiyaphum, the person who gathered people, built the early community, and helped establish the town as an important settlement in the early Rattanakosin period. His memory remains powerful in the province through the city monument, the Chao Pho Phaya Lae Shrine at Nong Pla Thao, local stories, annual rituals, and the festival that is held every January.

 

The festival began after the construction and opening of the Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) Monument on January 12, 1967. Since then, Chaiyaphum Province has continued to hold the annual celebration from January 12 to January 20 for 9 days and 9 nights. The date is therefore historically meaningful. It is connected with the opening of the monument and with the collective decision of the people of Chaiyaphum to honor their first founder through a public annual tradition.

 

The belief system behind the festival is a blend of local ancestral reverence and Buddhist practice. Most people in Chaiyaphum are long-established local residents who preserve Thai and Isan cultural traditions. Their beliefs combine respect for sacred local spirits, gratitude toward ancestors and heroic figures, offerings to guardians of the land, Buddhist merit-making, and community rituals for prosperity. The Chao Pho Phaya Lae Festival therefore reflects the way local faith and Buddhism coexist naturally in Chaiyaphum’s cultural life.

 

The main purpose of the festival is to honor the virtues of Chao Pho Phaya Lae, the first founder of Chaiyaphum. His story is associated with loyalty, gratitude, and devotion to the land. For local people, remembering him is not only a matter of history but also a moral act. It teaches younger generations that the city was built on courage, sacrifice, faithfulness, and a strong sense of duty. The annual festival makes this memory visible, emotional, and public.

 

The most sacred part of the festival is the spirit-honoring ceremony at the monument. Provincial officials, local authorities, community leaders, residents, and visitors gather around the monument to pay respect to Chao Pho Phaya Lae. This ceremony marks the spiritual beginning of the festival. It is a public declaration of gratitude by the people of Chaiyaphum toward the person they recognize as the founder and guardian figure of their province.

 

One of the most distinctive rituals is the elephant offering ceremony. This ceremony is regarded as a unique highlight of the Chao Pho Phaya Lae Festival. The offering of elephants reflects historical memory, local faith, and symbolic respect. In the cultural imagination of Chaiyaphum, elephants represent strength, dignity, protection, and loyalty. The ritual is performed as a high form of tribute to Chao Pho Phaya Lae and has become one of the most memorable scenes of the annual event.

 

The procession of offerings to the monument is another important element. Groups from government offices, districts, communities, schools, and local organizations prepare offerings such as bai si, flowers, garlands, cloth, and ceremonial items. These processions are carefully arranged and beautifully presented. They express not only devotion but also cooperation among people from across the province. For visitors, the procession is a vivid introduction to the visual culture and ceremonial language of Chaiyaphum.

 

Processions from the districts of Chaiyaphum show the diversity of the province. Each district may present local costumes, music, dance, agricultural life, famous products, or cultural identity from its own area. The parade functions almost like a moving exhibition. It allows visitors to see how different parts of Chaiyaphum express themselves while still sharing a single provincial identity centered on Chao Pho Phaya Lae.

 

The devotional dance offered to Chao Pho Phaya Lae is also a powerful expression of local faith. Participants from districts, communities, schools, and organizations join the dance with coordinated movement and traditional dress. The dance is not simply entertainment. It is a bodily form of worship, an artistic offering, and a way of preserving memory through performance. It shows how local people transform respect into movement, rhythm, and public ceremony.

 

Beyond the sacred rituals, the festival also functions as Chaiyaphum’s provincial Red Cross fair. Visitors can walk through Red Cross booths, OTOP product zones, local food stalls, exhibitions by government and private organizations, agricultural product contests, music performances, and evening entertainment. The atmosphere becomes especially lively after sunset, when lights, food, music, and crowds fill the city center.

 

The exhibition zones make the festival more than a celebration. Government agencies, private organizations, community groups, and local producers use the event to present projects, local development, agricultural products, innovations, and public services. Travelers can learn about the province while enjoying the fair. This combination of learning, shopping, food, and ceremony is one of the reasons the festival remains important every year.

 

Agricultural product contests also fit naturally into the event because Chaiyaphum has strong agricultural roots. Farmers and local producers bring their best crops and products to display. These contests highlight the province’s fertility, local knowledge, and agricultural economy. For travelers, they provide a chance to see Chaiyaphum through real products from the land rather than only through monuments and performances.

 

The importance of the Chao Pho Phaya Lae Monument Celebration lies in the way it keeps history alive. Younger generations learn the name of Chao Pho Phaya Lae through the annual ceremonies, school participation, parades, and family visits. Adults take part through government offices, local communities, and cultural groups. Elders pass down memories and stories. Travelers witness a city honoring its founder not as a distant historical figure but as a living presence in community life.

 

The main festival area is located around the Chao Pho Phaya Lae Monument, the surrounding streets, and the area in front of Chaiyaphum Provincial Hall. This location is central and easy to access. It is close to government offices, hotels, restaurants, markets, and other city attractions. During the festival, traffic arrangements may change, and visitors should allow extra travel time, especially during processions, major ceremonies, and evening performances.

 

The best time to visit depends on the traveler’s interests. Those who want to see the sacred ceremonies should come on January 12 in the early morning, when the spirit-honoring ceremony, bai si procession, and elephant offering usually take place. Those who prefer food, shopping, performances, and the Red Cross fair atmosphere may prefer the evening. Photographers who want to capture processions should arrive early and choose a safe viewing point.

 

Visitors should dress respectfully, especially when attending the ceremonies near the monument. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended because the festival area is large and crowded. Families traveling with children or elderly relatives should choose meeting points in advance. As with any large public event, it is also wise to keep personal belongings secure and follow the instructions of local officials.

 

The festival is suitable for many types of travelers. Families can introduce children to local history and culture. Students can learn outside the classroom. Cultural travelers can observe ritual, procession, music, and traditional dress. Food lovers can try local dishes and products. Photographers can capture images of the monument, the offering ceremony, the elephant tribute, the processions, and the lively night fair.

 

For the people of Chaiyaphum, this festival is more than a tourist event. It is part of the province’s annual rhythm. When January arrives, the city prepares to honor Chao Pho Phaya Lae, welcome visitors, gather families, and celebrate local identity. The festival has cultural power because it comes from real community attachment, not from tourism promotion alone.

 

Travelers who want a deeper understanding of Chao Pho Phaya Lae should also visit Chao Pho Phaya Lae Shrine at Nong Pla Thao, about 4 km from the city center. The shrine is connected with the final moments of Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) and remains an important sacred place for local people. Visiting both the city monument and the Nong Pla Thao shrine gives a fuller understanding of the history, faith, and memory surrounding Chao Pho Phaya Lae.

 

The festival can also be combined with a broader city route. Visitors can begin at the monument, join the festival activities, visit Tamnak Khiao to learn about King Rama IX’s visit to Chaiyaphum, stop at Prang Ku Chaiyaphum to see an ancient Khmer-style site, and return to the festival area in the evening. This route offers history, faith, archaeology, food, and urban life in one day.

 

Getting There is convenient because the festival is held in central Chaiyaphum. Travelers can head to the Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) Monument or Chaiyaphum Provincial Hall. Those arriving by bus can get off at Chaiyaphum Bus Terminal and continue by local taxi, songthaew, or local transport. Travelers staying in the city center can reach the festival area easily, especially from hotels near Bannakan Road, Niwet Rat Road, and the government center area.

 

Because the festival lasts 9 days and 9 nights, accommodation in Chaiyaphum city should be booked in advance, especially around the opening day and major performance nights. Staying in the city makes it easier to walk around the festival, return safely at night, and continue to nearby attractions such as Tat Ton National Park or Mor Hin Khao on the following day.

 

The festival also supports the local economy. Local food vendors, OTOP producers, farmers, hotels, restaurants, transport providers, and small businesses all benefit from the large number of visitors. The event therefore combines faith, culture, tourism, commerce, and community development in a very practical way.

 

Respect is essential when visiting the festival. The Chao Pho Phaya Lae Monument is a sacred place for the people of Chaiyaphum. Visitors should not climb on the monument base, block ceremonial processions, move offerings, or take disrespectful photographs. Those who wish to pay respect may bring garlands, flowers, or appropriate offerings and should follow the guidance of local officials.

 

The special value of the Chao Pho Phaya Lae Monument Celebration is that it transforms the idea of “the founder of Chaiyaphum” into a living experience. Visitors can see history through the spirit ceremony, the elephant offering, the processions, the devotional dance, and the gathering of thousands of people. The festival is therefore a living history lesson and one of the clearest expressions of Chaiyaphum’s identity.

 

In summary, the Chao Pho Phaya Lae Monument Celebration is one of the most important cultural events in Chaiyaphum Province. Held every year from January 12 to January 20, it brings together faith, history, ritual, procession, food, local products, exhibitions, agricultural contests, and public celebration. Travelers who want to understand the true spirit of Chaiyaphum should include this festival in their January travel plan.

 

 

A: The festival is held every year from January 12 to January 20 for 9 days and 9 nights around Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) Monument and in front of Chaiyaphum Provincial Hall.

 

A: It honors Chao Pho Phaya Lae, the first founder of Chaiyaphum, and expresses the province’s gratitude, faith, history, and cultural identity.

 

A: The main ceremonies include the spirit-honoring ceremony, offering processions, the elephant offering ceremony, devotional dance, and cultural parades from different districts.

 

A: Visit on the morning of January 12 for the major ceremonies. Visit in the evening for food stalls, Red Cross booths, exhibitions, performances, and the lively night-fair atmosphere.

 

A: The main festival area is around Phraya Phakdi Chumphon (Lae) Monument, also known as Chao Pho Phaya Lae Monument, in central Chaiyaphum and in front of Chaiyaphum Provincial Hall.

 

A: Visitors can see Red Cross booths, OTOP products from 16 districts, local food stalls, government and private exhibitions, music, cultural performances, and agricultural product contests.

 

A: Travelers should allow extra travel time, plan parking in advance, wear comfortable walking shoes, keep valuables secure, dress respectfully for ceremonies, and follow local officials’ instructions.

 

A: The festival can be combined with Tamnak Khiao, Prang Ku Chaiyaphum, Chao Pho Phaya Lae Shrine at Nong Pla Thao, Chaiyaphum Night Bazaar, Nong Pla Thao Public Park, and Tat Ton National Park.