Mae Hong Son Governor Presides Over Buddha Robe Ceremony in Chiang Mai
Mae Hong Son Governor Wiboon Waeobandit presided over a traditional robe-wrapping and Kathin ceremony at Wat Rong Khum in Chiang Mai on November 14, 2026. The event featured processions, traditional performances, and the wrapping of four ancient Buddha images, with proceeds funding temple facilities for the elderly. Local villagers derived auspicious lottery numbers from the ceremony details, hoping to win the November 16 draw.
Mae Hong Son Governor Wiboon Waeobandit presided over the traditional robe-wrapping ceremony for Buddha images at Wat Rong Khum in San Pa Tong district, Chiang Mai, on November 14, 2026, followed by a Kathin robe-offering ceremony. Phra Palat Sitti Sittipanyo, the abbot of Ban Mae Khet 2 subdistrict and Wat Rong Khum, led the monastic assembly in conducting the religious rites.
The ceremony began with the robe-wrapping ritual, then proceeded to the Kathin offering. Local residents, disciples, and donors formed a procession led by a royal carriage bearing the ceremonial robes for the Buddha images. This was followed by the Tung Kathin (flag) procession, the Tri robes procession with monks from various temples accompanied by traditional piphat and drum ensembles, and attendants carrying monastic requisites such as alms bowls, fans, and other necessities for the sangha, as well as the "money tree" offerings.
Upon entering the temple grounds, traditional fon dancers welcomed the procession before it proceeded to the main hall. The robe-wrapping ceremony began with the principal Buddha image, Phra Sapphanyu Thanyan, a Lanna-style brick-and-stucco statue. This was followed by wrapping the two chief disciple images and Phra Chao Saen Thong Phayachanabunyayuen (or Phra Chao Saen Thong), an ancient solid-gold Chiang Saen Sing Sam-era statue that has been paired with Wat Rong Khum for generations, formerly enshrined in the royal hall and now installed on a pedestal in the main hall — four images in total.
The Kathin offering ceremony then concluded the proceedings. The temple announced that proceeds from the Kathin offerings would fund construction of restrooms for elderly monks and elderly visitors, as well as repairs to the damaged road in front of the temple.
Villagers seeking auspicious numbers for the upcoming lottery draw on November 16, 2026, derived digits from the ceremony: the word "pha" (cloth) yields the number 5, and the event fell on a Saturday (day 5), considered auspicious. With four Buddha images wrapped, the number 4 also featured. Popular two-digit combinations included 54 and 45, while three-digit seekers used 5-4-5 in various permutations. Many locals purchased lottery tickets with these numbers hoping for a windfall.
