Boon Luang tradition and Phi Ta Khon Festival, Dan Sai District, Loei Province: The functions of Invented Tradition in the COVID-19 crisis

Abstract

This research aims to study the function of Boon Luang tradition and Phi Ta Khon
Festival, Dan Sai District, Loei province in the situation of COVID-19 by collecting information
from documents, textbook and hearsay from local speakers that related to Boon Luang tradition
and Phi Ta Khon Festival. The Boon Luang tradition and Phi Ta Khon Festival of Dan Sai District,
Loei Province of Thailand held in June 2020. The information was analyzed according to concept
of The Invented Tradition Theory in descriptive writing. The results showed that Boon Luang
tradition and Phi Ta Khon Festival has five functions in the situation of COVID-19, which are,
firstly, reflecting the original Boon Luang traditional and Phi Ta Khon Festival, secondly,
represents to scaring and need to safety from COVID-19, third, contributes to the acceptance
of the social practice pattern, fourth, entertain and encourage the local people, and fifth, inherit
and educate the making of Phi Ta Khon costumes for people in the upcoming generations.
The functions reflex to behavior adjusting integrating accordingly and follow by provision in the
COVID-19 crisis.