Editorial – Royal Ploughing Ceremony and Farmers' Day
Thailand's Royal Ploughing Ceremony, held May 12-13 this year, marks the traditional start of rice-growing season with Buddhist and Brahmin rituals performed under royal patronage to bless the harvest and honor farmers' contributions to the
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony, which marks the traditional start of the rice-growing season, has been documented as a royal ritual passed down since the Sukhothai period, continuing through the Ayutthaya era to present-day Bangkok. The ceremony is divided into two parts: the Buddhist ritual held at Wat Phra Sri Ratana Sasadaram in the Grand Palace in the evening of the first day, and the Brahmin ceremony conducted at Sanam Luang the following day. This year the ceremonies fall on May 12-13, 2026, with His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen presiding over both rituals. These two ceremonies are performed to bring auspiciousness and encourage the agricultural workforce, held annually in May—the appropriate time for farmers to begin their rice planting season, Thailand's primary livelihood. The chief administrator of the ceremony is the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, appointed to represent the Monarch in divining the abundance of crops and the year's planting season. The roles of the Golden Goddess and Silver Goddess are filled by unmarried female civil servants from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives who have received royal decorations. The Royal Ploughing Ceremony is thus regarded as a blessing ritual instituted by the Monarch to ensure agricultural abundance throughout the Kingdom. The day of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony is also designated as Farmers' Day, to remind all those in agricultural professions to recognize and appreciate the importance of agriculture to the nation's economy. On this occasion, selected farmers, agricultural institutions, outstanding national cooperatives, and annual agricultural scholars will receive royal shields of honor from His Majesty according to their status. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, responsible for agricultural development, water resources management, irrigation systems, farmer promotion, cooperative development, and agricultural production, must strictly adhere to its declared policies, perform its duties with vision, and transfer modern science, technology, and innovation to farmers to enhance their skills and elevate Thai agriculture toward high-value farming.
