The Royal Ploughing Ceremony was held on Friday morning at Sanam Luang, Bangkok, marking the traditional start of the rice-growing season. The ceremony, presided over by Their Majesties the King and Queen, predicted abundant water and a prosperous economy for 2022.
This year, the Lord of the Plough picked out a sarong, which means abundant water resources with chances of flood damage in low-lying farmland.
Two sacred oxen later chose to feed on water, grass, and beans, which indicates an abundance of water and food. They also drank liquor, which predicts a more robust international trade and a prospering economy.
The traditional ceremony has been performed in Thailand since the Sukhothai period, some 700 years ago, and is closely watched by farmers nationwide. The traditional rite is also observed in other Southeast Asian countries.
