Um Phra Dam Nam Festival

ประเพณีอุ้มพระดำน้ำ

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Religious & SpiritualPhetchabun
DatesDates TBA · Usually SeptemberCheck locally before booking
Duration10 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forCeremony, pilgrimageUnlike most Thai Buddha-image processions
LanguageThaiCurrency: THB
CategoryReligious & SpiritualFestival type
The story

Um Phra Dam Nam Festival in Phetchabun

Um Phra Dam Nam, meaning roughly diving while holding the Buddha's image, is a 400-year-old riverside ceremony unique to Phetchabun, held each year on the waning moon of the tenth lunar month. A revered Buddha image is carried by boat to the pier of Wat Trai Phum and submerged into the Pasak River in a rite tied to a local legend about fishermen and a golden statue.

Phetchabun's Um Phra Dam Nam tradition is dated locally to roughly four centuries ago, growing out of a legend that still circulates among residents in slightly different versions: a group of fishermen on the Pasak River, after a day of empty nets, rested on the bank when a sudden current carried a golden Buddha image toward them.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Unlike most Thai Buddha-image processions, which carry images through streets or onto decorated floats, Um Phra Dam Nam ends with the image being deliberately submerged into the Pasak River by a senior local official, an act found in only this one Thai province

02

The mystery stays covered

The custom traces to a specific local legend: fishermen who had failed to catch anything found a golden Buddha image floating in the current, carried it to the town's main temple, and watched it mysteriously disappear and return to the river, after which townspeople began the annual practice of returning the image themselves

03

The city starts moving

Local and national media describe it as one of the world's most distinctive Buddhist ceremonies precisely because it inverts the usual logic of protecting a sacred image by immersing it instead

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The ceremony is grounded in a specific local legend about a golden Buddha image recovered from the Pasak River by fishermen and later returning to the water on its own

Water and renewal

Living ritual

which townspeople reenact annually by carrying the image to the river and submerging it

The sacred route

Living ritual

rather than the more common Thai practice of carrying sacred images through streets or displaying them at a fixed shrine

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually September

Getting around

Move patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.

What to wear

Modest, respectful clothing appropriate for a Buddhist religious rite: covered shoulders and knees, muted colors preferred near the ceremony itself. Lightweight, breathable fabric suits...

Safety

Watch local behavior before photographing, filming, or entering sacred spaces.

Where to stay

Stay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Tickets/cost

Public ritual moments are often free, but donations, transport, or temple access may vary.

Language/currency

THB

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map16.42 N, 101.16 EOpen in Google Maps

Phetchabun, Phetchabun, Thailand

Nearest airportPHY — Phetchabun
TransportMove patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.
Stay areaStay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Phetchabun via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Phetchabun, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for September.Compare faresFestival gearModest, respectful clothing appropriate for a Buddhist religious rite: covered shoulders and knees, muted colors preferred near the ceremony itself. Lightweight, breathable fabric suits Phetchabun's warm late-September to October climate, and footwear that can handle riverside mud or wet paving is practical.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Thailand and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Um Phra Dam Nam Festival?

Um Phra Dam Nam Festival is listed for Past edition: 17–26 September 2025. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Um Phra Dam Nam Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Phetchabun, Thailand. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

10 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Phetchabun, Phetchabun, Thailand

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLtagthai.com
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually September
Source statusOfficial source linked
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