Khon Kaen Revives Rain-Begging Cat Ritual Amid Severe Drought

While many parts of Thailand face flooding, Wang Yai district in Khon Kaen province remains in severe drought. Over 100 residents revived a traditional rain-begging ceremony unused for many decades, substituting cat dolls and Doraemon figurines for live cats in hopes of bringing rain to save their withering rice crops.

On August 4, residents of Khon Fhim subdistrict, Wang Yai district, Khon Kaen province gathered to conduct the rain-begging parade. The area has experienced a drought lasting more than two months, causing rice plants to wither and risk widespread death. This year, cat dolls and Doraemon figures were placed in cages instead of live cats, then paraded through the village over a distance of more than three kilometers while residents sprinkled water according to ancient belief. The procession also included fish traps, bamboo fish containers, and agricultural tools to invoke rain and ease the community's suffering.

Chaivathorn Dokmaigam, headman of Khon Fhim subdistrict administrative organization, stated that Wang Yai district has received almost no rain this year, only occasional light showers insufficient for rice farming. Many farmers have sown rice three times but seeds fail to germinate due to soil dryness and hardening, preventing rice plants from growing. Previous requests for assistance from the Royal Rainmaking Project and the Agricultural Aviation Division could not be executed due to unfavorable weather conditions. The Wang Yai district area relies entirely on rainfall with no irrigation system in place.

Although many provinces face flooding in August, Wang Yai district endures severe drought. The community conducted the traditional cat-parade ceremony alongside requests for government assistance, hoping that both scientific approaches and traditional beliefs would bring rain. Meanwhile, water levels in the Chi River near Ban Chi Tha Wang Wern village in Non Thong subdistrict are critically low with many dry sections, affecting Wang Yai, Wang Noi districts, and border areas of Chaiyaphum province. Water management projects remain under implementation. The area has unique characteristics where some sections near the Chi River repeatedly experience flooding while other areas face regular drought.

Currently, multiple areas in Khon Kaen province including Phon, Wang Noi, Wang Yai, Chonburi, and parts of Non Silaed districts continue facing drought despite some provincial areas experiencing rain or flooding.

The cat-parade rain-begging tradition is an ancient Northeast Thai belief holding that after conducting the ceremony and invoking rain, precipitation will follow. This year residents chose dolls over live cats, reflecting how traditional practices adapt to modern times while preserving local beliefs and culture.