The rainy season is preceded and ended by holidays.  During this period both monks and pious laymen observe their religious duties more strictly.  Thus monks eat only once a day and then only what is put into their bowls and laymen observe some of the minor vows.  At the end of the rains come the important holidays known as Thot Kathin,[225] when robes are presented to monks.  This festival has long had a special importance in Siam.  Thus Rama Khomheng in his inscription of A.D. 1292[226] describes the feast of Kathina which lasts a month.  At the present day many thousands of robes are prepared in the capital alone so as to be ready for distribution in October and November, when the king or some deputy of high rank visits every temple and makes the offering in person.  During this season Bangkok witnesses a series of brilliant processions.

These festivals mentioned may be called Buddhist though their light-hearted and splendour-loving gaiety, their processions and gambling are far removed from the spirit of Gotama.  Others however are definitely Brahmanic and in Bangkok are superintended by the Brahmans attached to the Court.  Since the time of Mongkut Buddhist priests are also present as a sign that the rites, if not ordered by Buddhism, at least have its countenance.  Such is the Rek Na,[227] or ploughing festival.  The king is represented by the Minister of Agriculture who formerly had the right to exact from all shops found open such taxes as he might claim for his temporary sovereignty.  At present he is escorted in procession to Dusit,[228] a royal park outside Bangkok, where he breaks ground with a plough drawn by two white oxen.

Somewhat similar is the Thib-Ching-Cha, or Swinging holidays, a two days’ festival which seems to be a harvest thanksgiving.  Under the supervision of a high official, four Brahmans wearing tall conical hats swing on a board suspended from a huge frame about 100 ft high.  Their object is to catch with their teeth a bag of money hanging at a little distance from the swing.  When three or four sets of swingers have obtained a prize in this way, they conclude the ceremony by sprinkling the ground with holy water contained in bullock horns.  Swinging is one of the earliest Indian rites[229] and as part of the worship of Krishna it has lasted to the present day.  Yet another Brahmanic festival is the Loi Kathong,[230] when miniature rafts and ships bearing lights and offerings are sent down the Menam to the sea.

Another class of ceremonies may be described as royal, inasmuch as they are religious only in so far as they invoke religion to protect royalty.  Such are the anniversaries of the birth and coronation of the king and the Thu Nam or drinking of the water of allegiance which takes place twice a year.  At Bangkok all officials assemble at the Palace and there drink and sprinkle on their heads water in which swords and other weapons have been dipped thus invoking vengeance on themselves should they prove disloyal.  Jars of this water are despatched to Governors who superintend the performance of the same ceremony in the provincial capitals.  It is only after the water has been drunk that officials receive their half yearly salary.  Monks are excused from drinking it but the chief ecclesiastics of Bangkok meet in the Palace temple and perform a service in honour of the occasion.