Culture Ways of Life and Wisdom

In the harvest time and after bringing all yields to their threshing floor, farmers will perform

Tham Khwan Kwao ceremony, seeking forgiveness from Mae Phosop again, as a way to make merit

and celebrate the rice harvest. People of the Central region call the ceremony Tham Khwan Lan

(rice threshing ceremony), while the Isan people call it Boon Koon Lan. In addition to creating the

morale and seeking forgiveness, through Tham Khwan Khao Ceremony, farmers express gratitude

to the rice, sanctity and nature. After the rice is completely threshed, it will be collected to the barn.

Before selling the rice, farmers must perform the ceremony of Perd Yung or Tak Yung (opening

a barn) to ask for permission to sell the rice as well.

Tham Khwan Khao tradition is not just a ritual for expressing gratitude to nature, but it is

also a humility to everything that supports life and existence. It also shows the benevolent spirit

and solidarity of the community members that they will combine efforts to help each other during

the rice harvest.

Although currently rice farming can be done several times a year, the Tham Khwan Khao

ceremony is only performed for in-season rice farming. However, with changes in farmers’

ways of life and farming methods affected by modern agriculture and technology, the present

Tham Khwan Khao ceremony may not performed in comprehensive process like in the past

or it is adapted to be more concise. But the belief in Mae Phosop remains with rice farmers in

some areas where they still rely on rainwater for rice plantations and organic agriculture. Some

communities perform Tham Khwan Khao ceremony together with the ritual of Pha Pa Khao Pheuk

(merit making for rice seeds), while some communities hold the Tham Khwan Khao ceremony

in conjunction with the temple’s annual event.

“

In the harvest

season, farmers of

each locality often

combine their efforts

for the harvest.

It creates unity,

solidarity,

appreciation

and pride of the

production together,

after the year-round

hard work.

”