The Lotus Receiving Festival is a long-standing tradition celebrated by the people of Bang Phli for many decades. It is an ancient ceremony held on the 13th waxing moon of the 11th lunar month, followed by the Lotus Receiving Day on the 14th waxing moon of the same month.
According to local legend, Mon people would paddle their boats to Bang Phli, bringing along various traditional musical instruments such as the saw, pi, krachap, tone, rammana, mong, krab, ching, chab, and others on the night of the 13th waxing moon. The Thai residents of Bang Phli would prepare food to welcome them.
They would also gather lotus flowers in advance to offer to the Mon visitors. On the following morning, the Mon people would sail out to receive the lotus flowers from the locals. In the early days, lotus flowers were handed directly from person to person. Later, people began tossing them instead, which eventually evolved into the tradition known as “Lotus Receiving and Lotus Tossing,” a unique local custom that has been passed down to the present day.
The History of the Lotus Receiving Tradition
The Rub Bua (Lotus Receiving) Festival is an ancient tradition passed down through generations of the people of Bang Phli District. It reflects the kindness and generosity of the locals toward newcomers who migrated to settle in the area, and showcases the long-standing way of life and deep connection with the waterways that has shaped the identity of Bang Phli from past to present.
The festival is held annually on the 14th waxing moon of the 11th lunar month. During the ceremony, a replica of Luang Pho To (the revered Buddha image) is placed on a barge and paraded along the Samrong Canal, allowing residents living along both sides of the waterway as well as visitors joining the event to pay their respects by tossing lotus flowers onto the barge carrying the sacred image.
There is a long-held belief that if one successfully throws a lotus flower into the barge where Luang Pho To is enshrined, their wishes and prayers will be fulfilled. The continuation of this festival helps preserve the precious cultural heritage of Bang Phli, ensuring that the cherished Rub Bua tradition will never fade away.
The Lotus Receiving Tradition, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage
Bang Phli District, in cooperation with both public and private sector agencies, has continued to preserve this tradition. The Bang Phli Lotus Receiving Festival was inscribed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012 by the Ministry of Culture.
Activities at the Lotus Receiving Festival
To preserve the local traditions of Bang Phli District for future generations, as well as to promote and support tourism in Samut Prakan Province, the event will feature a wide range of activities, including:
Traditional demonstrations of the Bang Phli way of life in the past
Local folk performances
The Processional Boat Parade of Luang Pho To
Long-tail boat racing
The Miss and Mister Lotus Receiving Contest
A marketplace featuring OTOP products and signature goods from Bang Phli District
Lotus Receiving Festival Schedule for 2025
The Lotus Receiving Festival the one and only in the world and unique to Thailand will be held from 30 September to 8 October 2025 at Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai, Samut Prakan Province, celebrated over 9 days and 9 nights.
The main activities are as follows:
Saturday, 4 October 2025
Land Parade of Luang Pho To
Sunday, 5 October 2025
- 06:00 hrs: Boat Alms Offering Ceremony
- 08:00 hrs: Water Parade of Luang Pho To
- 10:00 hrs: Rowing Boat Competition
Monday, 6 October 2025
- 07:00 hrs: Lotus Throwing Ceremony
Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai, Samut Prakan – Lotus Receiving Tradition
- Address: Bang Phli Yai Subdistrict, Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan Province
- Coordinates: https://goo.gl/maps/geHNUvJjc9ZFbYqRA
- Opening Hours: 06:00–18:00
- Phone: +66 2 337 3489–90, +66 2 337 4059
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/วัดบางพลีใหญ่ในพระอารามหลวง
- Samut Prakan Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports: +66 2 707 6300, +66 2 183 1005
