Kong Khao ceremony at Sri Racha municipality is genuinely Chonburi’s local tradition that has been passed on for a long time. It is claimed that Kong Khao ceremony had been held in several districts, for example, Mueang district, Sri Racha district, Banglamung district, Panas Nikom district and etc. As time goes by, although the ceremony no longer existed in many places, Sri Racha district still holds on to this very firmly. Kong Khao ceremony is considered one of the locally unique ceremonies by Sri Racha locals, especially since when Sri Racha municipality and Tourism Authority of Thailand co-host the ceremony in 1993 onwards.
The ceremony is annually scheduled on 19 – 21 April. In the old days, every year during Songkram Sri Maha Racha townspeople would gather a considerable amount of food to propitiate the spirits. It was widely believed that the spirits would not do any harm to their lives, families or properties. After the sacrifice, there was a banquet in which everyone would share the meal, sing and dance together. Yet, everyone was strictly prohibited from taking leftover food home because it could help sustain other animals’ lives. Therefore, hosting Kong Khao ceremony can encourage and preserve the local tradition. Nowadays, Sri Racha municipality has combined Kong Khao ceremony and Songkran together, under the name “Sri Maha Racha Songkran and Kong Khao ceremony”. The primary objectives of the event are to promote the long-run tradition amongst juveniles and general public, to plot a positive consciousness of being Thai, and to boost local tourism.