Heroines Festival, Thalang
Fireworks, craft stalls, and a dance extravaganza – this is the little-known Heroines Festival. March 13th is the main date for your diary – that’s when sisters Chan and Mook led a battle against an 18th-century Burmese invasion. The dance is a bit of an epic, involving Muay Thai fighters, a huge set, and a Star Wars-style soundtrack. Another must-see is 10 minutes out of Thalang – the Heroines Monument. Here, a statue of the sword-wielding sisters has turned into a shrine. Canary-yellow flowers and scarves decorate it, while visitors give thanks by rubbing gold leaf onto the statue.