This portrait series was made during the vibrant and beloved Phi Ta Khon festival in the Northeastern Thailand town of Dan Sai. The festival Phi Ta Khon (widely known as the 'Ghost Festival in english) is a unique combination of three important festivals - Boon Luang, Boon Bang Fai, and Boon Sam Ha - and is a time to honor the city's guardian angels and spirits while warding off bad luck for the country. Three possible theories exist about the festival's beginnings, one of which is rooted in the Buddhist Jataka. According to this legend, the festival's name, "Phi Ta Khon," derives from "Phi Tam Khon," which refers to ghosts who follow people.
The legend states that when Prince Vessantara and his wife Madri left the forest for the city, forest angels, ghosts, and animals disguised themselves as humans and joined the villagers in bidding the couple farewell.
