Banana Festival in Kamphaeng Phet

Sat is a Thai festival held at the end of the tenth month of the year when it is supposed to be an autumm and the rice stalks in the field are starting to yield their young seeds. Thai folk cook kind of sweet called krayasat of which rice is the main in ingredient and offer it to the monks. It is believed that by offering this good merit the paddy field will be blessed as well as the famers themselves. Besides, the result of the merit will further console the souls of loved ones who have passed away. It is said that the same behavior is also found in India where people cook matu-pay as wheat boiled in milk, and offer it to the Bhramin, a religiou sect in lndia.

Sat Festival has been a strong rite in a long history of the Thai people. Even today, Thai in the central region and some other regional provinces never cease practicing the ritual of the Sat tradition, to conserve it for the cultural heritage of the next generation.

Krayasat is made in a special way lf it is cooked correctly it may be kept for months. Otherwise, the sweet may be watery and loose and easily go sour.

Thai right ingredients of Krayasat are as follows: Mung bean of Green gram, peanut, white sesame, shredded rice grain, popped rice, ribbon grass, thick liquid of sugar cane and palm sugar, honey and flourpaste. The mixing of all these ingredients and stirring it to make krayasat should be done in one day so that result of good merit will have a strong effect. It is belive that if the time of cooking Krayasat extends overnight it will get less blessing.

Krayasat is tastier when it is eaten together with is a small banana called “Kluai Khai” especially a medium one with black dots all over. This kind of banana is grow a lot in Kamphaeng Phet and its quality is the best. Thai festival of Sat Thai, Kluai Khai, Kamphaeng Phet day have thus been organized since 1982 to promote the product of Kluai Khai, the small banana and to conserve the old traditional practices.

This year, The Sat Thai ,Kluai Khai, Khamphaeng  Phet Festival  will be held between September 18-27. The attractive spectacle will be the pageant of Kulai Khai Beauty Queen and the beauty contest. Other interesting event are the contests  Kulai Khai Eating ,Krayasat Cooking , and he best rice. People will offer krayasat and robes to the monks as usual. Buddha amulets contest, sales of agricultural product and a variety of entertainment at night are included in event for those who love the folk way of life.

Traditional Banana Festival, Kamphaeng phet, Thailand