The municipal committee charged with organising the festival staged a press briefing late last week. A spokesperson stated that the emphasis was on family fun and showcasing the tradition for the world to see. To this end the theme for the 2016 edition is having fun without indulging in too much alcohol or gambling.
The venue for the eagerly awaited event is the park area at the back of the Amphur Rasisalai Office. The rockets blasted into the sky at the Sisaket, or any other Esarn, festival are homemade. Although rare, accidents do happen and it pays to keep a reasonable distance away from the launch zone.
The culture of the Rocket Festival in this part of Thailand and neighbouring Laos grew out of a need to pay homage to the gods of rain. May to June typically marks the onset of the rainy season in Thailand and the rockets are designed to ensure the gods are happy and provide enough rain to grow rice crops.
Sisaket prepares for launch of annual Rocket Festival
News in Asia
The city of Sisaket is getting ready for the launch of its annual Rocket Festival. The Bang Fai rockets will be taking to the skies above the eastern Thailand city during the two-day cultural extravaganza scheduled to begin on Friday.