The tradition of "Um Phra Dam Nam", meaning "the bathing of a Buddha image", in Phetchabun is expected to attract 200,000 visitors, generating about 80 million baht over the course of the 10-day event, which starts this Friday.
The event is unique to the region and organised every year on first day of the new moon on the 10th lunar month, which falls on Oct 2 this year, said Mr Seksan Niyompeng, mayor of Muang Phetchabun municipality.
By tradition, the provincial governor will invite the image of Phra Phuttha Maha Dhamma Racha from Wat Tri Phum in Muang district by boat to perform the ceremony which he will plunge into the water with the statue from the pier of Wat Bot Chanamarn. The two temples are about a kilometre apart.
Mr Seksan said the tradition has been passed down for more than 500 years. In 2023, the Ministry of Culture announced the ceremony as a national cultural heritage item.
"For this year, marking the special occasion of His Majesty the King's 72nd birthday, the Buddha image plunging ceremony will be held nine times, instead of the usual six times, to mark the auspicious occasion," said Mr Seksan.
Legend has it that the tradition began when a Buddha image was found in the Pasak River. It was a strange day when nobody could catch any fish.
Then the once-bright sky turned dark, bringing in thunderstorms and downpour. Eddies formed in the river, creating a whirlpool. However, the bronze statue of a seated bronze Buddha statute was elevated by the vortices instead of everything sinking to the bottom of the river. The image, 46 centimetres tall and 33cm wide, was enshrined in Wat Tri Phum after it was found.
People named the Buddha image Phra Phuttha Maha Dhamma Racha. However, a year later, the statue mysteriously disappeared on the new moon of the 10th month before being discovered at its original spot in the river.
The locals then organised a yearly festival to return the image to the river in the hope of receiving the blessing of abundance, nature's balance, happiness, and keep the country free from epidemics, said Mr Seksan.
The spot where it was found is today the location of Wat Bot Chanamarn, where the ceremony is held.
"The Buddha statute is regarded as the most revered in the province," he said.
Last year the ceremony attracted about 150,000 people during the 10-day event, with an average spend of 500 baht per person, generating about 50 million baht for the economy of the province. This year, he said, the event will welcome more people as recently it has also become a trend among celebrities and online influencers.
"We expect to welcome 200,000 people to our ceremony this year, generating up to 80 million baht during the event," he said.
A pot of medicine or holy water is held by the hand of the Phra Phuttha Maha Dhamma Racha statue, which is a sign of healing according to Wisan Khositanon, president of the Phetchabun Provincial Cultural Council.
Mr Wisan said people believe that praying and asking for blessings from Phra Phuttha Maha Dhamma Racha can help cure illnesses and bring success in their lives and work. He claimed that in the past, the ceremony's main focus was on faith.
However, the story of this Buddha image has recently been presented more often in relation to healing, which has sparked attention, particularly among celebrities. The ceremony then attracts sizeable crowds and aids in advancing the province's tourism, he said.
Among the main events of the Sept 27-Oct 6 celebration will be a 3,000-person traditional dance procession at Phutta Utthayan Phetchabura Park at 6pm. The Phuttha Maha Dhamma Racha statue from Wat Tri Phum will be invited by the Phetchabun governor to participate in a procession through the city on Oct 1 at 9.09am.
"The aim is for the public to pay respect to the Buddha statute," he said.
The "Um Phra Dam Nam" ceremony will take place at the pier of Wat Bot Chanamarn on Pa Sak River on Oct 2 at 10.09am.
"Another way to look at the tradition would be as an old wisdom used to preserve clean water and promote community harmony," he said.
