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Songkran 2008 |
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Songkran, informally called "the Thailand water festival," is an
annual event marking the start of the traditional Thai new year.
Songkran is the largest celebration in Thailand and is notorious
as the wildest water fight in the world.
Laptop, smartphone,
passport...don't think that you're somehow exempt from
good-natured splashing no matter what you're carrying or
wearing! Plan to get wet and stay that way for at least three
days if you're anywhere near the celebration.
Fortunately,
getting wet during Songkran coincides with scorching
temperatures in April — the hottest month of the year.
Officially known as Songkran, the Thai water festival is about
cleaning, purification, and having a fresh start. Houses are
cleaned; Buddha statues are carried through the streets in a
procession to be washed with flower-scented water. Elders are
honored by respectfully pouring water over their hands.
In
places such as Chiang Mai, you'll get to enjoy seeing a long
parade of Buddha statues carried through the gate. Ordinarily,
viewing each image would require visiting dozens of spread-out
temples.
Although the true Songkran tradition is to sprinkle
water on people, travelers and locals alike don water cannons
and buckets to take the "blessings" to another level! Dousing or
sprinkling people with water signifies the washing away of bad
thoughts and actions. It brings them good luck in the new year.
Sometimes firehoses are used to really spread the good
blessings!
As formal processions and formalities end, a
throng forms in the street to dance, party, and throw water in
good-natured fun. Think: Mardis Gras with a water fight. To up
the ante, many Thais add ice to their water. They form gangs and
teams that wear masks or bananas while wielding large water
cannons.
While Holi in India can probably claim the title for
messiest festival, Songkran in Thailand is certainly the wettest
of festivals in Asia.
Songkran was once based on the lunar
calendar, however, now the dates are fixed. The Thailand water
festival officially runs for three days starting on April 13 and
finishing on April 15. Opening ceremonies begin on the morning
of April 13.
Although the festival is officially only three
days long, many people take off from work and stretch the
festival into as long as six days — particularly in tourist
places such as Chiang Mai and Phuket. Check guest reviews and
prices for Chiang Mai hotels on TripAdvisor. |
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Samut Prakan |
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District |
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Phra Samut Ched |
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City |
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Pak Khlong Bang Pla Kot |
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Official Web: |
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Genre |
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Festival |
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Opening time |
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Entry fee |
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Free |
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GPS : |
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13.60045 N |
100.58682 E |
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