Overview of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony

The Royal Ploughing Ceremony dates back over seven hundred years, with a brief interruption in the 19th century. The current King revived it in 1960, thereby continuing a long-standing royal tradition aimed at ensuring the success of the new year’s rice planting season.

This important event transcends mere religious observance; it is a State-sponsored ceremony that involves high-ranking civil officials. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives takes on the role of Lord of the Harvest, while four single female officials are designated as Celestial Maidens to assist him. Additionally, in recent years, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn has led the ceremony.

Given that approximately half of Thailand’s population depends on agriculture, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony serves as a significant annual event, honoring the connection between the King, the government, and the farmers who sustain the nation’s economy.

Rituals Involved

The current format of the Ceremony consists of two distinct rituals:

The Cultivating Ceremony, or Phraraj Pithi Peuj Mongkol. During this phase, the Lord of the Harvest blesses the rice paddy, seeds, and various ceremonial items designated for use in the Ploughing Ceremony on the following day.

The King presides over this ceremony, supervising the blessings for both the Lord of the Harvest and the Celestial Maidens. Moreover, he presents a ceremonial ring and sword to the Lord of the Harvest, which will be used in the subsequent day’s ceremonies.

This particular ceremony occurs within the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, located within the Grand Palace complex.

The Ploughing Ceremony, or Phraraj Pithi Jarod Phranangkal Raek Na Kwan. This ritual occurs the day after the Cultivating Ceremony at Sanam Luang, an expansive area adjacent to the Grand Palace.

Role of the Lord of the Harvest

The Lord of the Harvest performs several rituals intended to forecast the conditions for the forthcoming rice season. Initially, he selects one of three cloth garments—where the longest one suggests minimal rain, the medium-length one predicts average rainfall, and the shortest signifies heavy rains.

Subsequently, the Lord initiates the ploughing of the land, accompanied by sacred bulls, drummers, umbrella bearers, and his Celestial Maidens carrying baskets filled with rice seeds. After the bulls have tilled the soil, they are presented with a selection of seven food types, and their choices will foreshadow which crops will thrive during the upcoming season.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Lord scatters rice seeds across the furrows, and the attendees eagerly gather these rice grains as good luck tokens for their personal harvests.

Attending the Ceremony

The upcoming Royal Ploughing Ceremony is scheduled for March 9 at Sanam Luang, the expansive open space and parade ground near the Royal Palace. This ceremonious event is accessible to the public; however, visitors are kindly requested to dress respectfully, as it is fundamentally a religious ceremony.

For those seeking information about attending the ceremony, the Tourism Authority of Thailand can be contacted at +66 (0) 2250 5500 or through email at info@tat.or.th.