On Thursday morning at Suttipawan Temple in Nong Pla Lai, close to the railway road, hundreds of Buddhists gathered to perform the traditional food offering to the monks, marking the end of Vessa, or Buddhist Lent. At the end of rainy season the monks are free to visit other locations, just as in ancient times. During the rains, small creatures and the rice in the fields can be harmed by walking on them, so the monks stay in their monasteries during the monsoons. The Taywoe Food-offering is the traditional ceremony for the start and end of Vessa, and the offerings are a way for the people to obtain the merit to dedicate to their loved ones.

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