Miss Universe Thailand Paweensuda “Fahsai” Drouin on 20th November 2019, modelled the elaborate and brashly colourful national costume she’ll wear during the international pageant finals on December 8 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Designer Alongkorn Kongin has attempted to capture the eye-popping spectacle of the Phi Ta Khon Festival – the annual Ghost Festival – in a form-fitting short dress of copper-clad aluminium wire arranged in a distinctly Thai art pattern. That’s topped with a 70-centimetre hat made of the same material.
Phi Ta Khon Festival is the unique Thai tradition of Loei province. The original belief of the festival is traditionally ascribed to a story of Vessantara and Maddi when they left the woods and went back to the city. Ghosts and animals in the woods missed them so much that they disguise as local people to see them off to the city.
This tradition happened since then and has been passed on until the present time. Bun Luang and Phi Ta Khon Festival is a part of “Bun Luang event” which is considered a big merit making event of the year. It is the combination of Vessantara merit making (the fourth month) and the Rocket Festival (the sixth month) to be one event. Vessantara merit making is organized for people to listen to the 13 stories of the last great incarnation of the Buddha. It is believed that the merit is so great that it can make you meet Mettreya (the next Buddha) in your next life.
The Rocket Festival is organized to pay respect to city God Shrine and it is also considered as the tradition to bring rain for the season. In this event there will be a parade of Phi Ta Khon (Ghost Mask) both of the small and big groups dancing and moving around the parade which creates fun and entertainment to the event. The interesting activities of Bun Luang traditional event and Phi Ta Khon festival are inviting protection from Phra U-pakut, the spirit of the Mun river, blessing ceremony, the parades, inviting Vessantara into town, getting rid of Phi Ta Khon masks, listening to 13 stories of the last great incarnation of the Buddha. Apart from that there are shows on the stage, the local products for sale, handmade, handicraft, art and idea products created by Dan Sai and Loei local people.
Much of the colour of the ensemble comes from a huge phi ta khon mask that Paweensuda will carry, made of used plastic bags and other recycled material collected by her fans. The mask, Alongkorn said, presents liveliness and fun, while the short dress reflecting the light bears an undeniable grace.
Paweensuda said she is delighted to promote the Phi Ta Khon Festival held each summer in Loei’s Dan Sai district, which she visited to discover the origins and meaning of the celebration. Paweensuda will fly to the United States on November 22, ready for the Miss Universe pageant being televised on December 8 from Atlanta’s Tyler Perry Studios.