Royal Ploughing Ceremony
Today the Royal Ploughing Ceremony was held here in Bangkok. What I read about it reminds me of Groundhog Day in the States - but instead of a groundhog they use cows and instead of predicting weather the cows indicate what kind of harvest the country will experience in the next year. It's a ritual that has Buddhist and Brahministic roots.
A pair of sacred cows are presented with seven choices - rice paddy, maize, green bean, sesame, hard liquor, water, and grass. Whatever they eat or drink first has significance for the country's food production and economic outlook. For example, if they drink the liquor "transportation will be convenient and commerce with foreign countries will be prosperous." I'll have to be sure to watch the news tonight to see how it turned out. (You can read more about it here.)
-Tom