Thailand
Bun Bang Fai 2027: Yasothon's rain-calling rocket festival, expected 7–9 May
At a glance
- Dates
- Next: 7–9 May 2027 (est.)
- Where
- Phaya Thaen Park, Yasothon town
- Getting there
- About 1.5 hours by bus or taxi from Ubon Ratchathani
- Cost
- Mostly free from the street and the park viewing areas
- Limits
- Stay behind the barriers during launches; no crossing them
The 2026 edition has passed
Dates last checked: 13 October 2026
The festival
Teams whose rockets misfire get thrown in the mud
Yasothon usually holds its rocket festival on the second weekend of May, centred on Phaya Thaen Park in town. Provinces across Isan, including Roi Et, Kalasin, Udon Thani and Nong Khai, hold their own versions, and Yasothon's is the best known.
Farming in Isan depends on the rain, and firing rockets is a way of asking the sky for it. In the local legend, the Toad King, Phaya Khankhak, fought the rain god Phaya Thaen and won, and the god promised to send rain whenever people sent rockets up to him. The park is named after that god.
The rockets are bamboo tubes packed with 20 to 25 kilograms of gunpowder, often decorated with gilded carving and a naga. In Saturday's parade, teams bring their decorated rockets along Chaeng Sanit Road into the park, with folk dance troupes in traditional dress.
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See plans
Details
The big rockets go up on Sunday only, with the parade on Saturday, so seeing both means staying the whole weekend. Yasothon has few rooms, and many visitors base themselves in Ubon, about an hour and a half away by road.
How the dates are set
There is no national date. Towns and villages across Isan set their own, mostly in May before the rains. Yasothon keeps to roughly the same weekend each year, the next edition is estimated on that pattern, and the province announces the official dates.
The three days
Friday night has folk singing and dancing. Saturday is the grand parade, which assembled at 15:30 in 2026, with decorated rockets and folk dance troupes moving along Chaeng Sanit Road into Phaya Thaen Park. Sunday is for the big launches, with teams competing on flight time. To see the main launches you need to stay until Sunday.
Getting there
By air: fly to Ubon Ratchathani International Airport, then take a bus or taxi to Yasothon, about 1.5 hours.
By bus: overnight buses leave Bangkok's Mo Chit terminal for Yasothon every day.
Heat, noise and mud
Isan is very hot in May, and the parade and launches are outdoors, often with hours of standing in the sun. The launches are loud, failed teams are thrown into the mud pit and people nearby can get splashed. If you mind heat, noise or dirty clothes, the Saturday parade alone may be enough.
Where to stay
Yasothon has very few rooms, and they are harder to get during the festival. Many visitors stay in Ubon Ratchathani and travel in each day. If you want to stay in Yasothon, book early.
Costs
Watching the parade from the street and the launches from the viewing areas in Phaya Thaen Park is mostly free. The main costs are transport and a room.
What to wear and etiquette
Bring a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen and water, and wear clothes and shoes that can get dirty and wet. If you visit temples such as Wat Maha That, cover your shoulders and knees. Do not block the parade or teams preparing a launch, and do not touch the rockets or decorations.
Safety at the launches
Always stay behind the barriers. Some rockets fail to ignite, others explode on the launch pad, and the big Sunday rockets fired from tall towers do not always fly straight. Never cross the barrier for a photo, and keep children towards the back of the viewing area.
Good to know
- When
- 8–10 May 2026, the second weekend of May. The 2027 edition is expected on 7–9 May, with the exact dates set by Yasothon Province
- Where
- Phaya Thaen Park in Yasothon town. The parade comes along Chaeng Sanit Road into the park
- Getting there
- About 1.5 hours by bus or taxi from Ubon Ratchathani. Overnight buses run daily from Bangkok's Mo Chit terminal
- The three days
- Folk singing and dancing on Friday night, the rocket parade on Saturday, and the big launches and competition on Sunday
- The rockets
- Bamboo tubes packed with 20 to 25 kilograms of gunpowder, often decorated with gilded carving and a naga
- Cost
- Watching the parade from the street and the launches from the viewing areas in Phaya Thaen Park is mostly free
FAQ
5
How do you get to Yasothon?
Most people fly to Ubon Ratchathani and take a bus or taxi to Yasothon, about 1.5 hours. From Bangkok, overnight buses leave Mo Chit terminal daily.
Why are the rockets fired into the sky?
The festival comes from an Isan rain-calling tradition. In the legend, the Toad King, Phaya Khankhak, defeated the rain god Phaya Thaen, who promised to send rain whenever people fired rockets into the sky.
How do you stay safe at the launches?
Stay behind the barriers. Some rockets fail to ignite and others explode on the launch pad, so never cross the barrier for a photo.
Where should you stay?
Yasothon has very few rooms, so many visitors stay in Ubon Ratchathani and travel in each day, about 1.5 hours each way.
Do you need tickets?
Watching the parade from the street and the launches from the viewing areas in Phaya Thaen Park is mostly free.
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