The Thai ethnic people joyfully celebrate Independence Day.

In Vietnam, besides the national Lunar New Year and the traditional New Year celebrations of each ethnic group, some ethnic groups such as the Hmong, Thai, Tho, Muong, Van Kieu, and Ta Oi also celebrate Independence Day on September 2nd on a grand scale. Therefore, the National Day becomes a joyful and meaningful day in the lives of the Vietnamese people of all ethnic groups.

Independence Day (September 2nd) is an important holiday for the Thai ethnic group in Northwest Vietnam and the Nghe An and Thanh Hoa regions. In western Nghe An districts such as Quy Hop, Quy Chau, Que Phong, Con Cuong, and Tuong Duong, the Thai people celebrate Independence Day on a scale similar to Lunar New Year. This is an opportunity for them to express their gratitude to the Party and President Ho Chi Minh for regaining independence and freedom for the nation.

Join Vietnam.vn as we explore the Thai ethnic villages in preparation for Independence Day through the photo series "Thai Ethnic People Joyfully Celebrate Independence Day" by author Quang Van Hung. The photos capture the festive atmosphere, with villagers decorating their homes and yards. Banners and slogans are displayed throughout the villages, every house flies the national flag, and joy is evident on the faces of the villagers. This photo series was submitted to the Happy Vietnam Photo and Video Contest, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications .

Many villagers who work far away also take the opportunity to return to their hometown to celebrate Independence Day.

As National Day approaches, villagers clean up the streets and alleys, preparing the stage for cultural performances and sports activities. In Thai ethnic villages, during the days leading up to Independence Day, people decorate their homes and yards. National flags are hung along the village roads and alleys.

Joy and happiness were always evident on the faces of the villagers. After the communal work of the village, family members gathered together to clean the house, tidy up the altar, carefully arrange the portrait of Uncle Ho, prepare the five-fruit offering to the altar of Uncle Ho and their ancestors, and then choose straight bamboo poles to hang the Party flag and the national flag.

During these days, all farming and fieldwork in the village is temporarily suspended, with people dedicating their time to celebrating Independence Day. This is also a time for villagers to visit and exchange greetings, wishing each other good health and good fortune in business, and gathering around festive meals.

Independence Day (September 2nd) is an important holiday for the Thai ethnic group in Nghe An province. Most ethnic communities here celebrate Independence Day on a scale similar to Lunar New Year. The celebration usually begins on the evening of September 1st and lasts until the end of September 2nd, with the scale of the celebration varying according to each family's economic circumstances. During and after the celebration, there are cultural performances such as folk songs and courtship songs, as well as traditional games like throwing the "con" (a type of ball), stilt walking, and bamboo pole dancing. People encourage each other to learn new ways of doing business and urge their children to study hard.

Independence Day not only contributes to preserving and passing on unique cultural features, creating value in the culture of the Thai ethnic group, but more importantly, it is one of the ways the Thai people teach their children to remember this important day for the whole country, to remember the gratitude to the Party and President Ho Chi Minh.

In 2024, the "Happy Vietnam" Photo and Video Contest, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications in collaboration with the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists, will continue to be held on the website https://happy.vietnam.vn for all Vietnamese citizens and foreigners aged 15 and above. The contest aims to honor individuals and groups with positive informational products that make practical contributions to promoting a beautiful image of Vietnam to the world. Through this, it helps people at home, overseas Vietnamese, and international friends access authentic images of Vietnam, its people, and its achievements in ensuring human rights, moving towards a happy Vietnam.