Photos : Thailand Goosebump Festival's FB//Franc Han Shih
A temple fair attracted thousands of visitors to Ayutthaya, as a roughly six-meter high “Mae Nak” statue, holding her baby in her arms, highlighted the event, with three giant incense welcoming at the entrance.
While ageing chedis tilt in daytime, red and white beams transform historical sites into the backdrop for old-fashioned activities at night, such as open-air showings of 1960s horror movies and a Ferris wheel with neon lights.
As soon as stepping into the event, visitors encountered a spacious grass field filled with horror-movie fans, watching nostalgic and haunting movies, screened from a vintage projector, gradually exhausting steam due to heat inside.
What gains the most attention was the haunted house, where “Mae Nak” stood in front. With scary green lights projected from the first floor towards the sky, visitors encountered appalling figures from anecdotal Thai stories.
This event, called Thailand Goosebump Festival, was organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Ayutthaya authorities, to boost the local economy and generate income for local entrepreneurs.
There was a striking contrast between the ghost-loving crowd and the solemn atmosphere of Worachet Temple, highlighting a creative embrace of new trends while preserving Buddhist traditions.
Despite attendees fevered over eerie performances within the temple, serenity prevailed, with monks chanting sutras in the well-worn temple halls. After a 30-minute recitation, chaos resumed as every visitor sprung to a ticket booth to join activities, such as throwing water balls.
Players threw water balls at a target, which triggers a mechanism to topple over staff sitting above water tanks. This activity is an essential attraction for both children and adults alike, all eager to dunk someone in the water, no matter where a temple fair takes place.
Within the historical temple, the fortune-telling area is mysterious. Despite the noisy surroundings, visitors patiently queued up, in a quieter area, for asking their future to be predicted.
Since relocating to Thailand, some expatriates told Thai PBS World that they are surprised at the notable belief in mediums and fortune-telling practices. Coming from a different cultural background, they have observed that Thais seem to put more trust in predictions about the future compared to their homeland.
After more than four years of living in Thailand, they have developed a growing interest in fortune-telling. In this event, they visited a fortune-teller around 8 p.m. The group left feeling satisfied but experienced a moment of confusion just before the event ended.
For those who prefer tranquility and traditional music, a series of Thai music performances can also be found in the event. Dressed in Ayutthaya-style clothes, one performer played the Ranat ek, an instrument with 22 wooden bars and boat-shaped resonator, mesmerising listeners with its graceful tones and flowing melodies.
This is how Thai culture captivates travellers, even those unfamiliar with the country, as superstition, religion and the hectic scenes of daily life can fascinate foreigner in various ways.
This fair marks the unique blend of Thai Buddhism and a legendary tale, transforming tradition and supernatural stories into a vibrant spectacle that attracts thousands of visitors to the province.
To attract more visitors to these haunting scenes, this event will be relocated to Bangkok, starting from October 26th to 31stl , according to the organisers.
