Cheers, Laughter and New Friendships: University of Phayao’s 16-Year “Walk Fun UP” Tradition

University of Phayao celebrates its 16th anniversary with a lively tradition that brings new students, seniors and the UP community together.

Cheers, laughter and the energy of students from six “Wiang” groups filled the campus during the “Walk Fun UP” Tradition 2026, held on July 18, 2026. For more than 16 years, this annual tradition has welcomed new students to the University of Phayao (UP), creating fun memories and lasting friendships between juniors and seniors.

Held during the university’s anniversary month, the event began at the King Naresuan the Great Monument. Associate Professor Dr. Supakorn Pongbangpho, President of the University of Phayao, together with university executives, lecturers, staff and students, led the new students on a more than 4 kilometer walk into the university.

Carrying traditional Lanna offerings, the students walked together toward Phra Phuttha Phuchakara Rak, the university’s Buddha image, to pay their respects and seek blessings as they began their university life.

But the journey was about much more than walking.

Along the way, students enjoyed cheers, laughter, music and energetic “Boom” performances from senior students. The six Wiang groups competed in colorful walking parades and “Boom Wiang” performances, showing their creativity, teamwork and unique spirit. Student clubs from every faculty also prepared welcome booths, creating a friendly and exciting atmosphere for the new students.

For many first-year students, the event was a chance to meet people they had never known before friends from different faculties and seniors ready to share advice, encouragement and a little fun. What started with a simple greeting or a shared laugh could become a friendship that lasts throughout university life.

The tradition also carries a special meaning for UP students. Seniors who once joined the event as new students now return to welcome the next generation. One day, today’s “freshmen” will become seniors and pass the tradition on to those who follow.

For more than 16 years, “Walk Fun UP” has therefore become more than a university activity. It is a celebration of friendship, teamwork, Lanna culture and the sense of belonging that connects UP students across generations.

Organized by the University of Phayao Wiang Student Groups in collaboration with the Division of Student Affairs, with support from student clubs across all faculties, the 2026 event welcomed the newest members of the UP family “Fah Mui Chaw No. 16” with smiles, friendship and plenty of fun.

Their first steps into UP were not taken alone. They walked together, laughed together and began a new chapter together as one UP family.