In the Mekong River, Buddhist traditions include several religious ceremonies and traditions, including the water festival held at New Year in April and the boat racing festival in October. Festivals are annually held along the length of the Mekong river, mostly linked to agricultural seasons or Buddhist holidays. Local communities give thanks to the spirits of the land, trees and water, for allowing crops to flourish, fisheries to provide food, and protection for the lives of both the living and the dead. Each town and village has their own activities taking place at specific spots along the river with a long history going back generations. The banks of the Mekong and its tributaries have lent themselves for centuries to spiritual contemplation, resulting in many temples and sacred trees being sited on points which afford unparalleled views across the river. Most large trees in Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia are believed to have a soul or resident spirit. Stands of spirit forests are closely associated with the spiritual welfare of individual villages and different ethnic groups, and their decrease through commercial development is one of the great cultural losses of LMB countries (SEA 2010).