The commemoration day of Prince Narathip Pranphanphong (shortly known among Thai as Krom Phra Narathip Praphanphong Festival) was organized in Cha-Am on 11 October 2011 with a large number of local people and tourists attending the big event.
Held by the Cha-Am Municipality with cooperation of Sahakham Community, business owners working on Cha-Am beaches and community leaders in the Cha-Am municipal areas, the commemoration day celebrates Prince Narathip Praphanphong, the so-called first community leader of Cha- Am who developed and modernized this beachfront city.
Starting at 9.09 a.m. at the statue of Prince Narathip Praphanphong on the Cha-Am beach intersection, the opening ceremony, held in austere Bhraman style to pay homage to the prince, was presided over by the Mayor of Cha- Am whilst Khun Chatchai Pin-ngern, the head of Bhraman astrologers of the Bureau of Royal Household’s Division of Ceremonies, offered the worships with ceremonial background music made by a Bhraman two-faced drum, a gong and a conch shell. After the homage paying ceremony there was a traditional Thai performance accounting the life of the Prince, especially how he successfully pioneered the modernization of Cha-Am. Other performances that followed were Manorah – a stage drama telling the story of a half-bird half-female human –, and a ‘Mae Jah’ folk dance which has long been practiced and passed on by members of Sahakham Community.
According to the Mayor of Cha-Am, this commemorative festival will take place every year on the 11th of October – the day when the Prince passed away in 1931. Its main aim is to allow Cha-Am people to express gratitude and honor the Father of Cha-Am, without whom this city would not be as developed.
