Happy Chinese New Year

Statistics say 10-15% of the Thai population has direct Chinese origins. But this time of year, at least around Bangkok, it seems a lot higher. On my bus ride, it seemed every fourth or fifth house was celebrating.

Most people here celebrate Chinese New Year with special offerings to the spirits, asking for luck and a good year to come. There are also lots of people wearing red, loud fireworks, and parades with noisy drums and the typical dragon mask train.

As it was explained to me, another part of the celebration includes a metal bucket like this. Paper cars, fake money, and pictures of gold items are burned outside in the bucket so that the family's ancestors can use these items in "the land of the spirits." The bucket is left outside the house after burning until the fire goes out and it cools off.