December 5th marks a special event on the Thai calendar. Celebrated across the country, this day commemorates the birthday of the late King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej. It’s also Thailand’s National Day, as well as the day when Father’s Day is celebrated across the country. Despite the King’s passing in 2016, December 5th remains a bank holiday to commemorate him. The occasion is a colourful one, and buildings across the nation don flags, bunting and portraits in the late King’s honour. Celebrations and parades take place across the country as the Thai people gather to honour the beloved leader.

King’s Birthday Parade in Udon

Udon is no exception to the national celebrations that take place to commemorate the late King’s birthday, and the occasion is marked with a colourful parade that makes its way through the city centre. You can see a flurry of magnificent traditional costumes and dance performances as part of the parade. Thanks to the influence of Chinese culture in Udon, the parade often incorporates elements from those traditions, including dancing dragons, drums, symbols and firecrackers.

The King’s Birthday Parade takes place during Udon’s Thung Sri Muang Festival – one of the highlights of the city’s annual social calendar. The festivities take place over the course of about two weeks at the beginning of December. After the King’s Birthday Parade, do as the locals do and make your way to the site of the festival near the City Pillar Shrine. There are hundreds of shops, food stalls and rides for all to enjoy. Plus, there is entertainment galore, in the form of musical performances, dance competitions and Muay Thai demonstrations.

Getting to Udon

Udon is well-served by air, rail and bus connections. Daily flights, bus routes and train journeys link the city to Bangkok. Plus, there are regular bus services connecting Udon to Chiang Mai. The city centre is fairly easy to navigate on foot or bicycle.

Wonderfruit is an annual celebration which takes place at The Fields at Siam Country Club in Pattaya, Thailand. This one-of-a-kind event is founded on six pillars:  Music, Arts, Family, Farm to Feast, Talks & Workshops and Wellness & Adventure. For this year, in 2020, the festival will be held from 10 - 14 December.

Best Activities to do in Wonderfruit
Wonderfruit celebrates sustainable living, bringing together people from all over the world to come up with creative solutions for a greener lifestyle and to have fun. As such, Wonderfruit features a wide range of activities from food vendors, art installations, and interactive workshops to live musical performances at striking stages made from recycled or sustainable materials. 
Highlights of Wonderfruit also include special banquets hosted by renowned chefs, scratch talks from international speakers and interesting activities centred around self-improvement and environmental awareness, such as cooking, martial arts and yoga.
Wonderfruit is best suited not only for young people, couples or individual travellers, but also for families with young children. This family-friendly festival offers a separate kids’ zone which includes games and age-appropriate activities.
 
Getting to Wonderfruit 
The most common way to get to Pattaya from Bangkok is by bus or minivan. You can take a bus or a minivan to Pattaya at the Eastern Bus Station in Ekkamai, the Northern Bus Station in Mo Chit and the Southern Bus Station near Khao San Road. All stations are located close to BTS skytrain stations. After arriving in Pattaya, you can take a shuttle service from Pattaya to The Fields at Siam Country Club.