Khmer community celebrates New Year in pandemic fighting spirit

The Ghositaram Pagoda, one of the oldest Khmer pagodas in Bạc Liêu Province, is not holding rituals and activities to celebrate the Chôl Chnăm Thmây Festival this year due to COVID-19.

BẠC LIÊU — The Chôl Chnăm Thmây Festival is one of the most important holidays for Khmer ethnic communities across the country, including the southern province of Bạc Liêu. This is an opportunity for the Khmer people to pay tribute to their ancestors, reunite with families, and attend and perform Buddhist rituals at local pagodas.

A visitor to the Ghositaram Pagoda has his temperature checked at the entrance. 

However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, this year’s New Year festival for the Khmer people, which fell on April 13-16, was celebrated in a simple and safe manner.

Only a few Buddhists have been visiting the Buppharam Pagoda during the festival. 

All Khmer pagodas in Bạc Liêu Province restricted mass gatherings as well as recreational and sporting activities. At the same time, local Buddhists were encouraged to strictly abide by social distancing following the Government’s directive on preventing and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. — VNS

Guards have been assigned at the entrance of each pagoda to take visitors’ temperatures and record related information. 

Buppharam Pagoda in the southern province of Bạc Liêu has not been decked out this year to celebrate Chôl Chnăm Thmây Festival due to the coronavirus. — VNA/VNS Photos Thanh Liêm