Thai residents launch enormous homemade rockets into the air as rainy season arrives with a bang in traditional Buddhist festival

The rainy season comes in with a bang in Thailand where rural residents launch giant homemade fireworks into the air for the annual rocket festival.

The Boun Bang Fai or Rocket Festival marks the sixth month of the lunar calendar, when communities gather in the fields to celebrate the season and ask the god of rain to help with a good harvest.

It's also a celebration of fertility, so just in case the rockets aren't enough, they some rural men dress up as women and wave wooden phalli in the air to anger the Gods so they send thunderstorms to punish their lewd behaviour.

(The Boun Bang Fai or Rocket Festival marks the sixth month of the lunar calendar, when communities gather in the fields to celebrate the season and ask the god of rain to help with a good harvest)

(It's also a celebration of fertility, so just in case the rockets aren't enough, they some rural men dress up as women and wave wooden phalli in the air to anger the Gods so they send thunderstorms to punish them)

(Jumping for joy: People taking part celebrate as their rocket soars into the sky in in Yasothon, Thailand)

(Different communities go to fields on the outskirts of villages and compete for the best decorated and highest flying rocket which they launch from a communal rocket pad)

(Anything goes in the best decorated category but generally only rockets made of bamboo are accepted in the highest flyer)

Different communities go to fields on the outskirts of villages and compete for the best decorated and highest flying rocket which they launch from a communal rocket pad.

Traditionally, they're made by stuffing gunpowder into bamboo but today they're more elaborate, with many made out of glass and metal piping, taking a variety of shapes and sizes.

Anything goes in the best decorated category but generally only rockets made of bamboo are accepted in the highest flyer.

Not only do they win prizes but the a good rocket will win the competitors some Buddhist merit among rivals.

And if the rocket fails to explode, the team technician must drink muddy water or Satho - rice whisky.

Celebrated throughout north east Thailand and Laos, the rocket, designed to carry prayers to the rain god, is known as a Hang or Meun-Saen.

(Anything goes in the best decorated category but generally only rockets made of bamboo are accepted in the highest flyer)

(Villages put together special committees to organise every aspect of the celebration, from introducing safety rules to arranging the prizes for each rocket category)

(Traditionally, they're made by stuffing gunpowder into bamboo but today they're more elaborate, with many made out of glass and metal piping, taking a variety of shapes and sizes)

(Celebrated throughout north east Thailand and Laos, the rocket, designed to carry prayers to the rain god, is known as a Hang or Meun-Saen)

Villages put together special committees to organise every aspect of the celebration, from introducing safety rules to arranging the prizes for each rocket category. They prepare and share traditional food in the days before the festivals, which are held on the outskirts to avoid damaging anyone's property.

These days, the size is controlled, with a limited number of spaces available and even attempts to make sure the events don't take place near airline routes.

(If the rocket fails to explode, the team's technician will be forced to drink either a cup of muddy water or Satho - rice whisky)

(They prepare and share traditional food in the days before the festivals, which are held on the outskirts to avoid damaging anyone's property)

(These days, the size is controlled, with a limited number of spaces available and even attempts to make sure the events don't take place near airline routes)

Ref: Thai residents launch enormous homemade rockets into the air as rainy season arrives with a bang in traditional Buddhist festival (dailymail)