In Thai customs, Songkran Festival is a water ceremony in which people wash away adverse omens and herald in a prosperous new year. Thailand’s water festival is more social and family-oriented than the traditional Vietnamese and Chinese New Years. Visitors should attend this event to share in the excitement of the locals.
Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year, is celebrated on the first day of the year according to the Buddhist calendar, which corresponds to 13 – 15 April in the solar calendar. Thai people, like Vietnamese people, now use this occasion to venerate the Buddha. They will also clean the house in order to make way for new and positive developments. Throughout the ceremony, people squirt water on one another using buckets, water guns, and water balloons to convey love, respect, and good luck. A significant number of parades and beauty pageants are also held. On these days, this prepares traditional foods and wears in vivid clothing.
Songkran: A great time to get together
This celebration, people clean their homes, schools, offices, and other public spaces in preparation for the new year. As part of a family reunion, members will assemble and clean together. During Songkran, many families get up early to attend Buddhist temples, where they make offerings and listen to monk talks. Devotees sprinkle clean or fragrant water over Buddha sculptures to represent purity and good fortune. Younger people also pour water into the hands of senior family members and friends as a symbol of respect and prayer for good fortune in the coming year.
Instead of genuine New Year’s greetings, Thais frequently dump a bowl of water over loved ones, close friends, and neighbors. The game begins with a bowl of water, and then people utilize barrels, pipelines, and toy weapons to evolve water. Water is an important part of this festivity. In a symbolic sense, it erases the previous year so that people can focus on the present. However, water is also used in a number of other Songkran ceremonies. Except for toddlers, monks, and traffic controllers, everyone can participate in the furious “water battles” regardless of local or indigenous people.
Thailand has several different types of Songkran
The Songkran water celebration is celebrated throughout Thailand. Tourists can participate in this event just at a few main tourist areas or central points. However, each location organizes and operates Songkran differently, with Bangkok being the most well-known. Because Chiang Mai is a historical land with many ancient traditions, it is celebrated in traditional hues.
Bangkok celebrates Songkran
During the Songkran water festival, Bangkok, Thailand’s capital and hub, provides a soothing experience. The festival is held on packed streets such as Rattanakosin Royal Square, Khao San, Phra Athit Road, Santhichaipraka, and Krasa, where people spray water on each other to create a Hollywood-like ambiance. Silom Street in Bangkok is another option for people interested in the festival. On the 5km route, young people happily spray water on one other, and the festival can be seen from the BTS suspension bridge.
Chiang Mai Celebrates Songkran
The Thai water festival was first held in Chiang Mai on April 12, where preparatory preparation began. The festivities include delectable cuisine, a parade of Buddha sculptures, and traditional Lana performances. The Buddha statue cleaning event is performed at the Phra Buddha Sihing temple. The Songkran Water Festival, held in Pattaya from April 18 to 20, is a time for prayer and water-splashing. The event includes parades, cultural activities, and a beauty and talent contest. Both communities provide diverse ocean experiences for visitors.
Pattaya’s Songkran Festival
If you want to attend the Songkran Water Festival but are unable to travel to Thailand between April 13 and 15, you can organize a holiday right there. Pattaya will host another water festival from April 18 to April 20. Locals typically pray for rain in order to have a prosperous next crop. Parades, performances by local artists, cultural events, and a beauty and talent competition are all part of the festival experience.
Phuket’s Songkran Festival
The famed Phuket is also a favored venue for this year’s Thai Songkran water festival. The festival atmosphere here is always lively and crowded, with splashing, parties, music, and dancing on the beachside streets of Soi Bangla and Patong. You will be able to snap colored elephants with other intriguing outdoor gatherings. In addition, there is a Buddha procession that travels down Patong Beach and draws a large crowd.
Songkran celebrations in Hua Hin
Songkran vacations in Hua Hin, Thailand, provide a unique and wonderful tourist experience. A water festival with a celebration and traditional activities is held on Naresdamri Road. This rite is popular among both visitors and locals. Following the procession, the city hosts spectacular water splashes and traditional events. Hua Hin is a popular destination for tourists who want to participate in this unique water festival before traveling on to other places on the 15th of the month. Khon Kaen, on the way from Bangkok to Udon Thani, hosts activities such as a food fair ball throwing tournament.
