Phayao Culture
Paet Peng Festival and Phra Chao Ton Luang: Phayao’s Living Lanna Faith
May 26, 2026 · 6 min read
A major annual merit-making festival on the full moon of the northern eighth month
Centered on Phra Chao Ton Luang, Phayao’s revered Buddha image
Blends Buddhist faith, Lanna culture, community life, and local food
When people speak about Lanna culture and important merit-making events in Phayao, one of the grandest traditions is the Paet Peng festival, the annual worship of Phra Chao Ton Luang.
This is a major yearly gathering filled with Buddhist devotion, Lanna culture, northern community life, and Phayao local food. It is one of the most meaningful traditions in Northern Thailand.
What is Paet Peng?
Paet Peng refers to the full moon day of the northern eighth lunar month, which usually falls in May. In Lanna belief, it is an auspicious day for making merit, worshiping at temples, and honoring sacred Buddha images of the city.
- Making merit
- Paying respect at temples
- Honoring sacred Buddha images
What is Phra Chao Ton Luang?
Phra Chao Ton Luang is a large ancient Buddha image enshrined at Wat Si Khom Kham in Phayao. It is deeply revered as a sacred image of the city and has held the faith of northern communities for generations.
Highlights of the worship festival
Phayao’s largest merit-making event
The festival includes merit-making ceremonies, candle processions, offerings, Lanna cultural parades, and traditional dance, all surrounded by an unmistakably northern atmosphere.
- Merit-making ceremonies
- Candle processions
- Offerings
- Lanna cultural parades
- Traditional dance
Local people wear traditional dress
Many participants wear Lanna sinh cloth, mo hom shirts, and northern traditional outfits to help preserve local culture.
- Lanna sinh cloth
- Mo hom shirts
- Northern traditional dress
Paet Peng and Phayao community life
The festival is more than a religious event. It is a time when families return home, communities work together, and younger generations learn living northern culture.
Local food at Paet Peng
The event often features northern dishes such as northern laab, gaeng hang lay, nam ngiao, laab chili paste, sai ua, crispy pork rind, sticky rice, local vegetables, and Phayao-style food.
- Northern laab
- Gaeng hang lay
- Nam ngiao
- Laab chili paste
- Sai ua
- Crispy pork rind
- Sticky rice
Why is Paet Peng important?
It is not only a travel festival. It is a center of Phayao faith, a Lanna cultural inheritance, and a tradition passed down for hundreds of years.
Living Lanna culture
The worship of Phra Chao Ton Luang shows that Lanna culture still lives through daily life, food, dress, and the faith of local people.
Recommended KHUA products
KHUA Phayao-style Northern Thai Laab Chili Paste is roasted with traditional Lanna spices and fragrant makhwaen. It fits northern food sets, merit-making meals, and Lanna khantoke tables.
KHUA Northern Ta Daeng Chili Paste and KHUA Maeng Da Ta Daeng Chili Paste also pair well with sticky rice, local vegetables, and northern dishes served during Lanna festivals.
FAQ
What is Paet Peng?
It is an important Lanna merit-making event on the full moon of the northern eighth month.
Where is Phra Chao Ton Luang located?
It is enshrined at Wat Si Khom Kham in Phayao province.
When is the Phra Chao Ton Luang worship festival held?
It is usually held around May each year.
What happens during the festival?
There are merit-making ceremonies, candle processions, parades, and Lanna cultural performances.
Why is Paet Peng important?
It is a center of faith and culture for Phayao and the Lanna region.