The ancestral legend of Phachi District involves the Lao Viang people who were forcibly relocated as war captives from Vientiane, Laos, and the Northeast (Isan) region to settle in Phachi District.
Lao Viang is the name given to an ethnic group that migrated from Vientiane, in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos), to reside in Thailand, beginning in the Thonburi period.
A major relocation occurred during the early Rattanakosin period, corresponding to the reign of King Rama III (Phra Bat Somdet Phra Nangklao Chao Yu Hua). During this time, people were forcibly moved (or swept up and resettled) from Vientiane and the surrounding Lao principalities in the largest possible numbers, which led to the expansion of these communities.
This settlement expansion benefited the central administration both politically and economically. The primary area with a high concentration of the Lao Viang group is the central river basin region, specifically the Tha Chin River Basin, the Mae Klong River Basin, and the Phetchaburi River Basin. They are dispersed across the provinces of Suphan Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Phetchaburi, and Ratchaburi, including the Tha Chin River Basin area in Suphan Buri Province.
It is assumed that the ancestors of the people of Phachi District are the Lao Viang. When Thailand was at war with Laos, war captives from Vientiane and people from the Northeast (Isan) were forcibly relocated to the capital, Phra Nakhon.
Subsequently, during the reign of King Rama III, some of the Lao Vientiane people migrated and settled in Nong Saeng District, Saraburi Province, extending all the way to Tha Ruea District and Phachi District in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province.
Therefore, Phachi District was uninhabited, serving only as a grassland for raising horses used in warfare.
The tradition of 'Thambun Klang Lan' or 'Thambun Klang Ban' (making merit in the center of the communal area) is held annually in May. It is a merit-making ceremony that takes place after the rice harvest is complete. This traditional belief and custom is performed to dedicate merit to chaokam nai wen (karmic creditors), spirits, and celestial beings (deities), in order to ward off bad luck (or sadork kroh), promote auspiciousness, and foster unity and mutual assistance among community members.
The tradition of 'Tham Khwan Khao' (Rice Soul Ceremony) is a ritual used to pay homage to Mae Phosop, the Rice Goddess. This ceremony is rooted in the belief and faith in Mae Phosop, who is seen as the deity of rice, and is performed to promote auspiciousness and to thank her for nourishing and ensuring the fertility of the fields.
It is believed that after performing this ritual, Mae Phosop will protect the rice in the fields, leading to good yields. Furthermore, it serves to boost morale among farmers, building their confidence that in the next planting season, their rice crops will be free from various ailments, both natural diseases and pest infestations.
