Every year a Wai Khru ceremony is held where the students pay respect to their teachers. They are doing this partly to thank their teachers for teaching them well in the past, but also in order to gain merit and good fortune for the future. The date will vary from school to school though Wai Khru is usually held towards the beginning of the new academic year. One thing that always remains the same between the schools is that it takes place on a Thursday. This is considered an auspicious day for such a ceremony.
Every student comes to school with a bunch of flowers for their teachers. The flowers used in the arrangement are symbolic. Dok Ma Khue (eggplant flower) stands for respect because when the tree is blooming its branches bend down in the same way a student pays respect to their teacher. Ya Praek (Bermuda grass) stands for patience or perseverance because although the grass looks wilted it is still very much alive. Khao Tok (popped rice) stands for discipline because the rice is placed in a pan together and heated up to become popped rice. The Dok Kem has the same name as the Thai word for needle. So it means the student will be sharp-witted and brainy.
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