Castles in the air

The annual festival always draws more than 10,000 people eager to admire the spectacular procession of miniature Buddhist temples and shrines moulded out of beeswax that are paraded past Wat Phra That Choeng Chum. Boat races and other festivities also celebrate the end of the long retreat. Rounding up the elephants Surin province throw a party for the elephants during the annual Elephant Round-up Festival, and you don't need a long trunk to join them. City streets are lined with food for the gigantic animals to eat. Parades and demonstrations examine all aspects of a working elephant’s life and the event finishes with a bang at a parade, with more than 300 elephants and participants in costume. Billed as "Elephant Town", thank to the Khmer-speaking Kui people, who are the masters of elephant training, Surin province is about 500 kilometres to Northeast of Bangkok. Making merit, Lanna style Phrae province in Thailand's North will organise the Kin Salak Ceremony at Wat Ming Mueang from November 2 to 7. This typical Lanna ritual shows the community's great contribution to monks, temples and Buddhism, as the villagers gather at the temple ground preparing the "tree of contributions" - a magnificent structure of bamboo poles to which bank notes, yellow robes, pain killers, snack boxes and anything monks can use is attached. Expect folk music, cultural shows and plenty of eating opportunities, as good karma is often fuelled by festive and fun-loving activities. New Centra Hotel opens in Chaeng Wattana Centara group is holding a soft launch for the Centra Government Complex Hotel & Convention Centre on Chaeng Wattana - Bangkok's new Government Centre. Designed for guests who are doing business with the government offices in the complex, as well as being a prime new venue for events of any size, with conference rooms offering a seating capacity of 3,000 participants in two main buildings, the hotel has 204 guest rooms with Wi-Fi Internet connectivity, TV set with LDC screen and working space. Visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com.