Riverside fun and festivities

For a unique taste of Thai culture take a flight to Thailand in November and make your way to the northern region of Buri Ram for the traditional boat races.

Held on the Mun River in the town of Satuk, just north of the provincial capital, the boat races will this year take place on November 4th and 5th.

The festivities which surround the traditional boat races include various parades, with markets and food stalls and visitors even have the chance to catch an elephant swimming race.

The boat races themselves have historic roots dating back to Thailand's Ayutthaya period and were originally designed to test military boat crews, but nowadays they are community events held to mark religious holidays and bring together teams of local people.

The town itself is also very close to the Phanom Rung Historical Park which is known for its spectacular ancient monuments.

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