Bee Castle Procession Marks Buddhist Lent End at Bangkok Temple
The Department of Religious Affairs and Wat Pathum Wanaram in Bangkok held the annual Bee Castle Offering Procession to mark the End of Buddhist Lent. The event featured traditional Isan-Lan Chang cultural performances, a parade of elaborate bee castles, and religious ceremonies attended by senior monks and government officials. Organizers emphasized the importance of preserving regional heritage and fostering unity in modern urban society.
On Sunday, October 25, 2026, the Department of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Culture, together with Wat Pathum Wanaram and the Pathum Wan District Office, organized the 'Bee Castle Offering Tradition for Buddhist Worship, 2026' to preserve the beautiful wisdom and culture of the Isan-Lan Chang people during the End of Buddhist Lent festival, and to pay homage to the revered Buddha images Luang Pho Phra Saen, Phra Sai, and Phra Phuttharup Sakkrasitti Khu Muang.
The ceremony received blessings from Somdet Phra Yanawachirodom (Amorn Yanothayo), a member of the Supreme Sangha Council and abbot of Wat Pathum Wanaram, as the ecclesiastical chairman. Permanent Secretary of Culture Prasop Riangngoen assigned Department of Religious Affairs Director-General Jatuporn Chiwawichawalkul as the lay chairman, alongside Pathum Wan District Director Narathep Chupul, department executives, government and private agencies, and a large gathering of Buddhists at Wat Pathum Wanaram in Pathum Wan, Bangkok.
Key activities included the offering of bee trees, bee flower garlands, and Khan Mak Beng offerings for Buddhist worship; performances of traditional music and Mahorasop dance; and a procession of Bee Castles from the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre to Wat Pathum Wanaram. The procession then circled the Ubosot, Chedi, Vihara, and Bodhi Tree three times before entering the Vihara. This was followed by a candle-lighting ceremony paying respect to the Triple Gem, paying homage to the abbot, recitation of the Bee Castle offering verse, and the formal Bee Castle offering ceremony, with monks chanting blessings. The event concluded with a Mahorasop performance on the main stage in front of Wat Pathum Wanaram.
Somdet Phra Yanawachirodom, abbot of Wat Pathum Wanaram, delivered a sermon praising the auspicious event, stating that it preserves cultural and religious values within Thai society, while instilling gratitude, unity, and the conservation of local traditions for future generations.
The End of Buddhist Lent is a significant Buddhist day marking the end of the monks' rainy-season retreat. It is a period when Buddhists nationwide engage in religious activities for good fortune. The Bee Castle Offering Tradition at Wat Pathum Wanaram is thus an important activity supported by the Department of Religious Affairs to promote and preserve the religious and cultural heritage of the Isan-Lan Chang region, which has a distinct identity in art, tradition, and beliefs related to Buddhism.
Although Wat Pathum Wanaram is located in the heart of Bangkok, it beautifully maintains and promotes the important traditions of the Isan people. This event serves as a bridge linking cultural roots from the region to the metropolis, disseminating valuable Thai culture so that urban residents and younger generations can learn, understand, and take pride in their ancestral wisdom. It also fosters virtue, faith, and unity among people in society.
The Department of Religious Affairs is committed to continuously promoting and driving religious and cultural activities to instill faith and morality in the public, alongside preserving, inheriting, and expanding valuable cultural heritage. It also provides opportunities for all sectors of the public to participate in the transmission of Thai traditions and cultural ways of life, to sustain the values and identity of Thainess within Thai society sustainably.
