I don’t think we’ve this in the Lao culture, and only in Northern part of Thailand such as the people of Lanna that I find the tradition to be somewhat odd. Most of us must have noticed the full moon, not just a regular full moon but for some culture, it’s also Vanh Pra (15 kom, Buddhist religious day) + Vanh Put (Wednesday which’s yesterday), and every year on a Wednesday with a full moon, the people of Lanna, which are in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai area would wake up at midnight for midnight alms giving to a famous Buddhist monk named Pra Upakut, he is believed to be a monk who devoted his life to reach enlightenment, spent many years meditating under the sea of Muang Badan, which made me think of the land of mythical Naga aka Phaya Nark, this is according to the legend told. It is believed that every Peng Put day before dawn, this revered monk will rise from the bottom of the sea to accept food offerings from people. It’s still very popular mainly because it’s believed that he brings good luck and wealth to those who respect and offering him food in midnight alms giving.
As for the Chinese people, it’s the Moon Festival aka Mooncake or Mid-Autumn festival falls on September 25th of this year. The Moon festival falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its maximum brightness for the entire year, the Chinese celebrate this day with dances, feasting, moon gazing, and one of my favorites, eating mooncakes.
Nye Noona 