Phrae: The Prime Minister traveled to Phrae Province in northern Thailand to open the annual Wat Phra That Cho Hae worship festival.
According to Thai News Agency, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul officially inaugurated the 2026 Phrae Grand Tungs Festival at Wat Phra That Cho Hae Royal Temple. The event, held in Cho Hae Subdistrict, Mueang Phrae District, was attended by Governor Somchai Lertprasitiphan, heads of various government departments, and the general public.
The "Phrae Grand Tung Procession and Worship Ceremony 2026" is scheduled from February 22nd to March 3rd, 2026, at the same venue. This festival is organized to honor His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen, and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, while promoting cultural tourism. During the event, the Prime Minister is expected to partake in significant religious ceremonies, engage with the public, and review policies designed to boost cultural tourism. He aims to encourage tourists to help preserve this vital local tradition, thus enhancing the local economy and providing income opportunities for residents and businesses in Phrae Province.
The festival will showcase a range of religious and cultural activities, including a Tungsangkhon competition, Lanna cultural performances, and a pilgrimage to Phra That Cho Hae for blessings and success. Attendees will have the opportunity to pay homage to the sacred Phra That Cho Hae and seek blessings from Luang Pho Phra Chao Than Jai, a revered 100-year-old Buddha image. The event will also feature a grand procession with five elephants, offerings from all eight districts of Phrae Province, community parades, and the invocation of Phra Maha Upakut.
Organizers emphasize that the 'Phra That Cho Hae Worship Ceremony and Phrae Grand Tung Procession 2026' leverages 'cultural capital' to drive economic growth, provide income at the local level, and preserve cultural and religious heritage. This initiative aims to establish Phrae Province as a sustainable cultural tourism destination for the future.