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The ancient festival is held annually on Makha Bucha Day (Feb or Mar). Buddhists believe that on that day, the Buddha comes back from the heaven after preaching to his mother. Angels welcome him back with flowers and rice. Such belief is turned into tradition when villagers make garlands from rice (the rice will be baked until it pops like popcorn). Today the rice garland, 4-6 metres long, is decorated with flowers and beads. The garland will be displayed in a beautiful parade, and used for decorating temple pavilions a day before Makha Pucha.
เจดีย์ทราย
A chedi or stupa made entirely of sand, said to be over 400 years old. It is roughly a right circular cone around a central post, with a base diameter of about 60 m, and sloping up about 20 m. Traditionally, sand is brought to temple grounds at the end of the dry season in Apr, then shaped into "sand art and play" that is washed away when the rains come. This one, however, is about 600 m from the village temple ground, and is replenished all year long, for over 400 years they say.
Camp Bodindecha is home to the Royal Thai Army 16th Infantry Division and a golf club which is open to the public.