Discovering Yasothon’s Famous Rocket Festival

It had been over a year since my wife, Taew, and I moved to Sisaket in the northeast of Thailand. I was getting to grips with how things worked, and beginning to understand which month each of the many festivals was held.

One that we wanted to find out about and visit was the famous Yasothon Rocket Festival weekend. 

Friday Night in Yasothon

Finding Out the Details

It was not as easy as it sounds, at least for a first visit, with many written only in Thai on social media, if announced at all. A lot of the time, it was a case of my good lady telling me of a forthcoming event, often at short notice. 

That had been the case the previous June when we ended up at a Bun Bang Fai, as Rocket Festivals are known in Thailand, at Phanom Phrai in Roi Et, close to the Yasothon border.
That had been a magnificent spectacle, with huge crowds, markets, and some amazing pyrotechnics. 

Ban Phon Sai, a couple of weeks later, was also great fun, especially as I knew the concept of a rocket festival and how things might pan out. Taew told me that the ‘big one’ was held in Yasothon. I naturally wanted to go.

Rooms were at a premium in the small city, with visitors flocking from far and wide for the event that lasted three days. I’d previously been to watch football there, taking the forty-minute walk from the bus station to the stadium, giving me a semblance of understanding of how it’s laid out. 

Phraya Kankak Museum

Arriving in Yasothon

Accommodation was scarce because of the festival, but we managed to secure a room at The Colour Hotel, an adequate, unflashy hotel, a fifteen-minute walk from Chaeng Sanit Road, the main thoroughfare through Yasothon, where most of the activity would be taking place.

Before we could check in, we decided to have a look around the city after lunch at Hug Restaurant, which served Italian food and was owned by a local Thai. My mate John and I had eaten there on another football occasion, when the boss told us that he’d learned his trade at Pala Pizza Romana by Asok BTS station in Bangkok.

I already knew the Bangkok restaurant well from previous nights out in the capital, so expectations were high. On this occasion, a gaggle of expats gathered for what looked like a weekly rendezvous, as their Thai partners delivered them.

My YouTube Video of the Festivities

Museums, Myths and Giant Toads

We headed to Wiman Phaya Thaen, a distinctive cultural landmark and museum that celebrates the myths, folklore, and traditions behind the province’s famous Bun Bang Fai, known for its enormous naga-shaped tower. 

The museum tells the story behind Bun Bang Fai through local Isan legends, including Phaya Thaen, the sky god of rain, and Phaya Khan Khak, the toad king who challenged him when drought threatened the land. 

Inside, we looked at the exhibitions before heading to the Phraya Kankak Museum, which is shaped like a giant toad along the water's edge. The view from the top floor is through glass, which forms the amphibian's mouth. Outside, some smaller rockets were already being launched nearby.

Friday Afternoon Rehearsals

Exploring Yasothon Old Town

Taew drove us back to the old town, which appeared to have a Chinese influence. We sat in a restaurant,  translated as Singha Fresh Milk, which would become our favourite in future visits, to enjoy drinks. 

A ladies' group was practising traditional Isan dancing for displays over the weekend in front of a beautiful small Chinese temple over the road. The area oozed a special charm. Sadly, the Singha Tha Museum next door was shut.

It was time to check in and have a rest before we headed back to the same area on foot. It allowed us to go inside the ageing Nanaphan Plaza so I could look for what I wanted.

I was out of luck, but a pharmacy sold me some earbud noise defenders, which were required after attending a local show a month earlier and having to go home early, such was the din.

A Transformed Road in Yasothon

Floats, Music and Night Markets

The main street was transformed as day turned into night, with many places to eat and drink appearing. We enjoyed noodles and a beer before exploring. The old town was crackling with a wonderful atmosphere, as we sat for another drink, taking everything in, as Taew asked locals where things took place.

We returned to the main thoroughfare, where floats were lined up ready for the following day's parade through the city. Music played, shows took place, and dancers went through their routines. It was a cacophony of noise and great fun, with the display continuing past City Hall. 

Spectators grabbed vantage points, while the night bazaar opposite did a roaring trade. I bought some refreshments from 7/11 as we continued wandering around and enjoying ourselves. We walked right back to the other end, again taking the opportunity to eat and relax with a drink.

Thankfully, with it being dark, it wasn’t too hot. We walked back towards our hotel along Wittayathamrong Road, going into a bar opposite where we were staying, where we got talking to a local police chief who was delighted to see a foreign visitor integrating and enjoying the hospitality of his city.

The Saturday Parade

The Festival Parade

The following morning, we rested well before eating at Singha Fresh Milk and then joined the large crowds in the dull conditions to see the parade. It was a fantastic spectacle, and one worth making the effort for. While we didn’t wait for the rocket launches the following day, we had seen plenty.

Yasothon’s Rocket Festival was loud, chaotic, colourful and unforgettable. Between the dancing, music, markets and enormous parade floats, the city completely transformed itself for three remarkable days — and the earplugs proved one of my wisest purchases in Thailand.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my YouTube Channel, where I share videos about everyday life in Thailand, local football, and travel across the country, including several visits to Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festivals.

Thanks for reading.