EPIC ADVENTURE at the WORLD'S BIGGEST ROCKET 🚀 FESTIVAL in THAILAND

Good morning, Country Collectors! I hope you are ready for an amazing adventure this week as we skyrocket into the excitement at the Boon Bang Fai Rocket Festival here in Phanom Phrai, Thailand. But it's about more than just rockets; it's about the amazing people, food, music, dancing, and the sheer joy of the community coming together to share their collective hopes and dreams for the year to come. So strap in and prepare for liftoff! Destination: excitement. [Music] It's unbelievable right now! As you can see, we are at the launch site, and the action just isn't stopping. The festival ends today (it's Saturday), but I actually got here on Wednesday so that I could meet the people, experience the culture behind it, and just get a feel for the town. So why don't we shoot back to then and check it out so we can start the countdown to the fun? I mean, I guess we already started the countdown to the fun, but anyway, let's do it! The adventure began at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok with a quick one-hour flight to Roi Et. From there, I rented a car and drove to Panai. My first stops were a couple of beautiful temples where I soaked in the serene atmosphere before grabbing lunch at a famous local noodle shop. Wow! I walked in off the street, and they were making noodles. They invited me behind the counter to make the noodles myself. They let me pour the liquid noodles into hot water, take them out, and do the whole process. I didn't ask; they just took me behind the counter. I ordered noodles that I ended up making myself, and then they brought me watermelon, some hot dogs on a stick, some spicy som tam with crispy fish on top, and I sat down and had a couple of bites. Then I heard the music—they were playing live music in the back and called me back to join them. [Applause] [Music] We laughed and danced together. I'm so grateful to be here. I'm so grateful to be in Isan. Thailand is amazing, but Isan is different from the rest of Thailand. They have less money here, but they have the biggest hearts and are so willing to share everything with you—their food, their culture, their music. It's like no place else I've ever been in the world. Look at that sexy man entertaining! And, uh, any name? Nickname? Gang Gang G? What's your name? Adam. Adam, Adam. And name? A, A, A... Aam. This is exactly what I'm talking about. They just want to make you laugh; they just want you to feel welcome. I'm not used to feeling like this. I'm not used to feeling emotions so deeply, and they're just overflowing when I'm here. I can't put it into words. I'm so happy that you could experience it with me. Thank you. Thank you for being here. After lunch, I headed to town hall where I met with the mayor. He showed me the biggest rockets for the festival, and they were huge. Then he was kind enough to give me a personal tour of the town. Our first stop was the biggest rocket factory in Thailand. Walking through the factory, the mayor explained the intricate process of making these rockets, and I got to witness the craftsmanship and care that goes into each one. It was fascinating to see the variety of rocket sizes—some are so enormous they need towers to assemble. These men truly put the bang in Boon Bang Fai! Back in town, we danced in the streets together—a surreal and joyous experience. I even had the pleasure of meeting the mayor's mother. As the day wound down, we went to the main temple for a stunning private traditional dance show at sunset. Then I headed back to the noodle restaurant and spent the night eating, drinking, laughing, and singing karaoke. By the end, they said I was a new member of their family. The next morning, I met up with two locals, Tech and his sister Swan, who graciously offered to show me around. They took me to another rocket factory where their family's rocket had been made. They even invited us to add our names to the rocket so we could share in the ceremony of earning positive karma together. It was a generous gesture, and I was very thankful. I even got to help load some rockets with the locals. Afterwards, I had lunch in their lovely home where they invited me to stay with them for the rest of the festival, which I happily accepted. A few hours later was a street food fair where the flavors were truly terrific and the fun was stir-fried to perfection! From sizzling satays that are skewered to please, to chestnuts roasting on an open fire, this fair has it all. Whether you're a fan of pad thai or have a sweet tooth that won't quit, this fair will rock your world. Get ready to tie one on for your taste buds because each bite is curiously delicious. It's elephant-worthy checking out! Sorry if that was corny. Over at the fair, they also had some tentacle rides, petting zoos for the kids, and you know I'm a fan of trampolines. Everyone was having so much fun! I decided to bump up the excitement on the bumper cars, but let me tell you, if you get in the ring with these kids, be prepared because they have the eyes of the tiger! Then I grabbed my favorite TFC (that's Thailand Fried Chicken, baby) and headed to the molam concert for some spectacular entertainment and dancing. They had amazing costumes and performances that went on into the early hours of the morning. The next morning marked the official start of the festival, beginning at the main temple in town. The day kicked off with a ceremony of prayers and offerings, followed by a breathtaking performance by hundreds of beautifully dressed local men and women performing a traditional dance. It was a sight to behold! I also learned that the rockets are brought here to receive blessings before the final day of the festival when they are fired into the heavens. People write their wishes, hopes, and dreams on these rockets for the year to come. As monks softly chant blessings, the community gathers to make offerings and pray. This place holds a special place in the hearts of the Phanom Phrai people and has been a center of healing and hope for hundreds of years. Being part of this was incredibly special, and I truly felt like a member of the community. I am so grateful to everyone for their kindness. This was also family day, so I went back to my new Thai family's house and spent the afternoon shooting fireworks, playing lottery games, and eating local delicacies like spicy raw beef and red ant eggs. Most importantly, we enjoyed spending quality time together. Later, I went to see the parade floats getting their final touches put on them. These handmade masterpieces represent weeks and months of work and are truly magnificent. I also realized the festivities had officially begun because the streets were filled with music and dancing. I don't think I've ever seen so much enthusiasm, and I was thrilled to join in on the fun! Then it was time for a good old-fashioned block party. [Music] [Music] [Music] It's Saturday, and the amazing parade is about to begin in the heart of the town, so I hope you're ready for a fantastic time! [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] When the parade ended, we danced our way through the streets with elephants back to the temple where they put on a magnificent final dance performance that was absolutely magical. I felt like I was transported back to a different time. It's almost overwhelming. There is so much going on. Look at that cloud of smoke! What was I saying? Oh, last night after the dance show, they had a Miss Boon Bang Fai beauty contest, and then they gave out awards for the best float and the best dancers from the parade. My team right here, Phanom Phrai FC 27, actually won for the second year in a row, so congratulations, guys! One more year and you are going to be one dynamite dynasty! Now that we've gone through getting here, let's go take a look around and see what we can find. I'm sure there is so much to see and people to talk to. I've never been to something like this before. I mean, it's so different than the Yasothon one. So let's go see what we can find. Right now, we are in the rocket staging area, and like I said, there are thousands of rockets here, so the action is nonstop. It's on this side; it's on the opposite side. There are monks here blessing these before they go off. People are doing a bunch of last-minute preparations. It's really beautiful to see how this community comes together for this. You know, this is a belief. It's not just about cool stuff shooting into the sky. It's about them putting a message to the gods. It's about them telling them, "I am here," and it's something I've never experienced before. How are you? Good to see you again! I love it. Everyone is just kind of sitting wherever they can get a spot. There are so many people. They have so many different delicious foods here. I've seen sausages, tiny chickens, sweets, snacks. You want to do a little shopping? They have that too. They have activities for the kids as well, like bouncy houses and trampolines—a little something for everyone. I found a little temple in the woods and did a quick prayer to, you know, really get that prosperity going for all of us for the year to come. You can never get too much help. It's really like one of those good old-fashioned carnivals like we have at home, but with rockets—thousands of rockets! This is an all-day event, so make sure you're getting rest when you can. This is literally the friendliest place I've ever been in the world, and I've been to a lot of places. I don't know what it is. This area, the people have the biggest hearts that I've ever experienced. It was in Yasothon, it was in Ubon, but here it's a whole different level of kindness. I wanted to give you a few tips. This is a very small town. There are only about 4,000 residents, so there's not a lot of accommodation. But don't worry, Yasothon is just around the corner. It's about a 15 km or 30-minute drive through some beautiful countryside with rice paddies on both sides. Number two, if you're worried about communicating—oh, I'm so sorry, sir. It's a one-way rice paddy. If you're worried about communicating, Google Translate is a game-changer. You can literally just type in what you want to say, hand them the phone, and they can type back. You guys can actually connect on a deeper level. Number three, wear a hat, drink plenty of water, put on sunscreen, and earplugs are optional but I definitely recommend them. And the last one is: embrace this experience when you come here. You really have to just keep your mind open, keep your heart open, and you will find the most loving people. There's nothing they won't do for you if you're respectful and humble. I haven't paid for food in like a week. People are constantly offering me beer or giving me water. It's really beautiful, and it's something that you can experience as well. This isn't just a "me" thing; it's a "if you're kind" thing. There is no rest here. One rocket goes off, the people run out, put up the next rocket, and the next one goes off. Some are going off two or three at a time. There are big ones, small ones—it's so exciting. It's overwhelming. The sky is crisscrossed with the jet wash from these rockets, and it's so hard to describe the sound, the noise, the excitement. It is absolutely once in a lifetime. Do you hear that? That is the hopes and dreams of the people. That is a wish for prosperity for all year. I'm blown away—literally. I just bumped into Chris here. He is another traveler. Like I said, it just never stops. Chris is on an endless journey. He does mostly Thailand work. What do you think of this? Chris: I've been waiting to see this for years. I read about it probably 20 years ago. I was sitting at work and read about it and thought, "I've got to go see it," and every year something came up in the way. This year I said, "I'm going." I jumped on my motorcycle from Bangkok, rode 8 hours to get up here, and it's worth it. This is amazing. Adam: It's so amazing when those rockets go off. I was a soldier, and it's just like firing off rockets—it's insane. You grow rice on a Friday, and then on Saturday you send it up into the sky. Crazy. Just walking around, it's like, "Okay, I mean, this would not fly at home." Chris: No, not at all. That's what I love about Thailand. It's kind of laissez-faire, like you know what you're getting into. Just live life. Don't worry about falling into a pothole and having to sue the city or something. Just come out here and live life. I love it. Adam: Living life in Thailand. But don't forget about safety. They have those hard hats and bicycle helmets. Chris: Yeah, you've got to have that. And they're smoking cigarettes. Well, they don't smoke while they're lighting the rocket off. That's the safety. Adam: Yeah, it's great. Nice to meet you. Look at the size of this rocket here. This is the Bangi 10 million. We're talking about the first place in the world where a rocket this big has been made. It's absolutely amazing. It's a 10-inch diameter rocket. It weighs 700 kilos. When you see this thing go off—well, I haven't seen it go off yet, but when you do, Elon Musk, you better watch out. When people realize that your neighbor's brother's cousin can make a rocket in his rice paddy, you're going to be out of a job. [Music] Right now, me and my new great friend Tech, whose house I'm staying at, are going to go check out our rocket. I love the generosity here. Everyone is just making their own shade, sitting, drinking, eating. That's one of the amazing things about the Isan people. They love having fun. I know other people like it, but oh, I think we see the rocket right now. Look at this beautiful rocket right here. Tech: So, what's he doing right now? Adam: Getting it ready for a slow burn. Tech: Ah, okay, okay. That makes sense. Adam: But it's boom, boom! Tech: Oh, we don't want boom. Or maybe we do! Adam: Look at that beauty. We have a rocket. Pretty soon, this is going to be flying into the air. Just like that. A lucky number. Tech: Lucky number. It's your number, lucky number 23. Adam: Your neck will literally have a crick in it for probably a week after this. The entire day is just like... as you can see, the crowd is getting pretty big. There have to be thousands of people here who are coming from all over this region to celebrate together. There's something about this. It's different than any other festival I've ever been to. Everyone is so inclusive. There are maybe only a couple of other foreigners here, and they just want you to be part of it. They want to hug you and take photos with you. I've taken at least 100 selfies today with people. Everyone wants to shake your hand—my hand anyway. They even interviewed me up on the stage and asked me what I thought of the festival. It just keeps going and going and going. I'm worried they're not going to let me into the airport after this because everything I own is covered in gunpowder. Like this right here, I'm standing in the cloud. The rocket that Tech let us put our name on so we could get a little merit from it as well is about to be put up. I'm really excited. I wrote our name on it, and my wish is that we all have a prosperous year, that we all feel loved, that we all push our boundaries and be the best versions of ourselves. While we're waiting for them to put up the rocket, I just wanted to briefly tell you about the legend behind this. There was a king who had a son who looked like a toad. He was very unattractive, and as he grew up, he really wanted to get married, but no one wanted to marry him. So he prayed to the gods and asked that he would be made beautiful, and the gods answered him. They made him into a beautiful prince. He got married, and the people were so enamored by him they started to worship him instead of the sky god, Phaya Thaen, the god of rain. So Phaya Thaen stopped the rain for 7 years, 7 months, and 7 days. The toad king built a stairway into heaven so that he could actually fight Phaya Thaen for the right to get the rain back. There was this epic battle with animals fighting each other. They were on elephants in this cosmic battle, and no one won at the end of the first day. So on the second day, the toad king asked his legion of termites to fly into Phaya Thaen's armory and eat the weapons so that they wouldn't be strong anymore. The next day, when they started to fight, the weapons broke, and he knocked Phaya Thaen off the elephant. Instead of banishing him, they made a deal that every year they would fire these rockets into the sky to remind him to send the rain. What a beautiful story. Here goes our rocket right here, and like my mother always says, keep your friends close for your explosives! [Music] [Laughter] Adam: Close! See, everyone is so excited. They want you to be included in everything. These smiles are so real. Absolutely beautiful. I love it. They're securing it with some vines they just collected from the trees around here. The rocket's about to go. Our hopes and dreams are going to the heavens. [Applause] Tech: Great job! Great job! [Applause] Adam: Right now, I'm in mission control, and they are just putting up the last big rocket of the day—one of the 10 million ones. It's been such a beautiful adventure here, and I feel like this might be a good time to say goodbye. I don't know if I can handle much more excitement or dancing. My feet are killing me, but I wanted to say thank you to all the beautiful people here, to Mr. Tenacon, my new Thai family here, Tech and his beautiful family for letting me stay in their house, and all of the people that gave me their time and their love while I was here. I truly feel it. Like fireworks light up the sky, let travel illuminate your life with joy, happiness, and adventure. Pack your bags and get out there—the world is your oyster, people. You just have to go out and take it. What an amazing experience. Until next time, kop khun krap. If you enjoyed this video, please give me a big thumbs up, comment, subscribe, and don't forget to l-l-ling the rocket. I'll see you next time! [Applause]