Thais don ghost masks to summon spirits at annual festival

Elaborate long-nosed ghost masks are seen on the ground ahead of a parade during the annual Phi Ta Khon carnival or ghost festival in Dan Sai district in northeastern Thailand’s Loei Province on Saturday, June 24, 2023. - AFP

LOEI, Thailand, June 24, 2023 (AFP): Decked out in elaborate long-nosed masks and ruffled pants, hundreds of Thais banged cowbells and danced in a grand parade on Saturday at an annual ghost festival in the country's northeast.

The streets of Dan Sai district in Loei province were awash with colour and traditional music at the Phi Ta Khon carnival as participants summoned the spirits before thousands of spectators.