Tourists and residents gathered at the Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine on Sunday, 7 September, to take part in Hua Hin’s annual “Sea Misfortune Sending” boat release ceremony, a tradition dedicated to making merit for ancestors and seeking protection for the local fishing community.
The event, held beside the Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa, brought together local officials, community groups, and visitors from across Thailand and abroad. The day began with merit-making and offerings to monks, led by Phra Kru Phisutthipawanaphithan, abbot of Wat Hua Hin and advisor to the Hua Hin district monastic chief.
Ceremony and rituals
Participants later lit thousands of firecrackers before pulling a specially decorated boat carrying offerings and figurines towards the sea. At midday, the vessel was taken out from Hin Khrong and released into the water, symbolising the sending away of misfortune and the welcoming of blessings.
The ritual involved about 4,000 brightly painted clay figurines, representing men, women, and children known locally as Nong Chuk and Nong Klae. Names or wishes were written on paper and attached to the figurines, which were then placed on the boat. Once released, the figurines settle on the seabed, where they provide shelter and food for marine life.
For some families, the event also served as an opportunity to honour relatives whose ashes were brought to the Hua Hin seashore for ceremonial release. Visitors, including many foreign tourists, observed the ceremony closely, with some even collecting numbers from the firecracker papers in the hope of lottery luck.
Longstanding tradition
The “Sea Misfortune Sending” boat release, also referred to as the Blessing of the Fleet, has been revived for almost two decades and is now a key date in Hua Hin’s cultural calendar. The annual ceremony is organised by local fishing and coastal communities, reflecting the town’s historic connection to the sea.
Beyond its religious and cultural meaning, the ceremony also highlights the reliance of Hua Hin’s fishing community on the ocean’s abundance and the shared belief in the importance of merit-making for ancestors and protection for those who make their living from the sea.
