{"id":126784,"date":"2022-05-10T22:04:45","date_gmt":"2022-05-10T15:04:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thailandfoundation.or.th\/?post_type=culture_heritage&p=126784"},"modified":"2025-05-15T19:03:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T12:03:34","slug":"royal-ploughing-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thailandfoundation.or.th\/th\/royal-ploughing-ceremony\/","title":{"rendered":"The Royal Ploughing Ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Thailand is fundamentally an agricultural society. Even though other industries, including electronics manufacturing and tourism, are now playing a role in driving the Thai economy, agriculture is still the backbone of the nation and occupies a high spiritual status among the Thais. In addition, farming is highly dependent on climate and environmental conditions. Whether the yield will be large or small is largely, if not entirely, at the mercy of nature. In an effort to build morale among farmers, Thailand observes the Royal Ploughing Ceremony every year.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In this article, we will learn about the history, activities, and values of this ceremony together.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Purpose of The Ceremony<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Other than a morale-boosting strategy, the Royal Ploughing, or the auspicious ceremony of Charot Phra Nangkhan Raek Na Khwan<\/em> (\u0e08\u0e23\u0e14\u0e1e\u0e23\u0e30\u0e19\u0e31\u0e07\u0e04\u0e31\u0e25\u0e41\u0e23\u0e01\u0e19\u0e32\u0e02\u0e27\u0e31\u0e0d) as called in Thai, serves to announce the beginning of the growing season. The ruler or head of state will preside over the ceremony to deliver this message to the people.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In Thailand, the ceremony usually takes place in May but the date is not fixed as it will be chosen by an astrologer or a Brahman priest. This year, it falls on May 13, 2022. Similar ceremonies are held in many Asian countries and named in their respective languages. For example, the event is called Pre\u0103h R\u00e9ach P\u012dthi Chr\u00e1t Pre\u0103h Ne\u0103ngko\u0103l<\/em> in Cambodia, Lehtun Mingala<\/em> in Myanmar, Vap Magula<\/em> in Sri Lanka, and Ponner Uzhuthal<\/em> in India.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Regarding the Thai name which is quite long, \u201cCharot Phra Nangkhan Raek Na Khwan\u201d<\/em> (\u0e08\u0e23\u0e14\u0e1e\u0e23\u0e30\u0e19\u0e31\u0e07\u0e04\u0e31\u0e25\u0e41\u0e23\u0e01\u0e19\u0e32\u0e02\u0e27\u0e31\u0e0d) means \u201cto place a plough onto the earth to mark an auspicious beginning of the rice growing season.\u201d \u201c\u0e08\u0e23\u0e14\u201d (charot<\/em>) means to touch. \u201c\u0e1e\u0e23\u0e30\u0e19\u0e31\u0e07\u0e04\u0e31\u0e25\u201d (phra nangkhan<\/em>) is a plough, and \u201c\u0e41\u0e23\u0e01\u0e19\u0e32\u0e02\u0e27\u0e31\u0e0d\u201d (raek na khwa<\/em>n)\u201d means \u201cthe first auspicious ploughing on the rice field.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Japan also observes a ceremony comparable to the Royal Ploughing in which the Japanese emperor will plant the first rice seedling on the palace\u2019s ground and when the harvesting season arrives, he will perform the royal harvest ceremony by being the first person to reap the produce.<\/span><\/p>\n

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History<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Animistic ceremonies relating to agriculture have existed in Southeast Asia since ancient times. When the tradition of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony entered the region through the spread of Hinduism, it became intermixed with animistic practices. The ceremony was first mentioned in the Ramayana Epic written in 500-100 BCE. As the king of Videha was performing the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, a baby girl appeared from the ground. The baby will grow up to become the epic\u2019s heroine called as Sita, which means a ploughing mark.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mural depicting the ceremony [cr. silpa-mag.com]<\/span><\/p>\n

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This ceremony, influenced by Hinduism, has been practiced in Thailand since the Sukhothai Era (1238\u20131438), along with another Buddhist ceremony called Phuetcha Mongkhon<\/em> (\u0e1e\u0e37\u0e0a\u0e21\u0e07\u0e04\u0e25), which literally means \u201causpicious plantation,\u201d but it is also known as the Royal Harvest Festival. In this ceremony, the grains from the king will be blessed by Buddhist monks before being distributed to the people. The details of this auspicious ceremony have been changed over time as we will see below.<\/span><\/p>\n

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From the Sukhothai Era to Present<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the Sukhothai Era (1238\u20131438), the king did not plough the field but only presided over the ceremony. In the Ayutthaya Era (1351 – 1767), the king would enter a silent hibernation for three days and appoint a representative called “Phra Ya Raek Na<\/em>” (\u0e1e\u0e23\u0e30\u0e22\u0e32\u0e41\u0e23\u0e01\u0e19\u0e32) to plough the field. Phra Ya Raek Na<\/em> means “The Lord of the First Plough.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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In the Rattanakosin Era (1782-1932), King Rama I ordered the Minister of Agriculture to perform the duty of Phra Ya Raek Na.<\/em> Another person was selected to perform the role of Phra Ya Yuen Ching Cha<\/em> (\u0e1e\u0e23\u0e30\u0e22\u0e32\u0e22\u0e37\u0e19\u0e0a\u0e34\u0e07\u0e0a\u0e49\u0e32) or\u00a0 \u201cLord Who Stands in the Swinging Ceremony\u201d\u00a0 for the Triyampavai-Tripavai Royal Ceremony<\/a>, another ceremony connected to the Royal Ploughing Ceremony. Later, King Rama III assigned only one person to perform the duties of both the swing stander and Phra Ya Raek Na<\/em>. A prominent change occurred in the reign of King Rama IV when His Majesty ordered that every royal rite be accompanied by a Buddhist ceremony. To respond to this royal order, the Royal Harvest Festival was developed and has been observed along with the Brahmin-influenced Royal Ploughing Ceremony since then.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Royal Ploughing Ceremony continued until 1936 and was interrupted for over three decades, and not until 1960 that it was revived in order to preserve the royal tradition and to enhance the morale of the Thai people. King Rama IX (1950-2016) presided over this ceremony every year during his reign, and today, King Vajiralongkorn or King Rama X, continues this royal responsibility at the royal ground called Sanam Luang<\/em> in Bangkok.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Royal Ploughing Ceremony in Thailand<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n