With her palms pressed together and her head bowed, Wassana Nak-umma vowed to give up alcohol for three months, joining millions of Thais in an annual campaign that combines Buddhist spirituality with public health.
The 42-year-old housewife made the pledge at a Buddhist temple in Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok, admitting she was once a heavy drinker.
"I used to get so drunk that my kids had to clean up my vomit," she told AFP.
A concerned relative persuaded her to take part in the abstinence campaign during Khao Phansa, the three-month Buddhist period of reflection comparable to the Christian observance of Lent.
"I still craved it. Whenever I saw people buying liquor or beer at stores, I wanted to drink like them," she recalled.
"But I held back, telling myself it was only three months. After that period, I realised, 'Hey, I can do this! Next year, I must do it again.'"
Wassana first joined the campaign in 2024. Although she resumed drinking afterwards, she now drinks only in moderation and this week renewed her pledge for a third consecutive year.
Avoiding intoxicants is one of Buddhism's key precepts.
Yet Thailand, where more than 90 per cent of the population identifies as Buddhist, has the third-highest per capita alcohol consumption in Asia, according to the World Health Organization's 2024 data.
The apparent contradiction prompted the launch of the Buddhist Lent abstinence campaign in 2003. Last year, organisers said more than eight million people took part.
The start of Khao Phansa on Thursday was marked by colourful celebrations in Samut Sakhon, where residents offered food to monks, performed traditional dances and paraded through villages on salengs—motorcycles with sidecars commonly used to transport coconuts—while carrying placards featuring smiling, healthy livers.
Among the participants was 66-year-old Phayom Raksa, who recited a pledge invoking the teachings of the Buddha, Thailand's King and the nation's wellbeing.
The former coconut farmer said joining the campaign six years ago transformed his life.
"My kids were ashamed of me—their dad got drunk every day and didn't care about them," he said, adding that he also spent most of his earnings on alcohol.
Having since quit drinking entirely, he now encourages others to follow his example.
"I'd like everyone to try doing what I did—to think and look at positive things," he said.
Abstinence campaigns have gained popularity worldwide in recent years, most notably "Dry January", as more people seek healthier lifestyles.
But Ubolwan Kongsawang, a regional volunteer with Thailand's Stop Drinking Network, said the Buddhist Lent campaign draws strength from religious commitment.
"When individuals take a pledge before a Buddha image, at a temple or within their community, they feel bound to honour their word," she said.
Organisers have refreshed this year's campaign by highlighting not only the spiritual rewards of abstinence but also the practical benefits, including better health, stronger family relationships and lower household expenses.
"Our goal is not necessarily total abstinence for everyone," said Dr Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, director of the government-backed Thai Health Promotion Foundation.
"Many reduce their consumption and discover the health benefits, which is already a success."
Thailand relaxed decades-old restrictions on afternoon alcohol sales in December, although sales remain prohibited on religious public holidays and around elections.
Campaign organisers say reducing alcohol consumption ultimately requires changing social norms in a country where drinking is woven into occasions ranging from festivals to funerals.
"We are trying to transform the drinking culture itself, not just reduce individual consumption," said Teera Wacharaprannee, head of the Stop Drinking Network.
"Our strategy is to continue beyond Lent, supporting villages and communities to reduce alcohol in daily life."