"Songkran is a Thai traditional New Year which starts on April 13 every year and lasts for 3 days. Songkran festival on April 13 is Maha Songkran Day or the day to mark the end of the old year, April 14 is Wan Nao which is the day after and April 15 is Wan Thaloeng Sok which the New Year begins. Songkran falls in the hottest time of the year in Thailand, at the end of the dry season.
Songkran means “movement” or “changing” since according to Thai astrology, the sun will move into a new sign of the Zodiac on this day. Songkran is also called the “Water Festival”. Water is believed to flow and wash away all bad omens during this time.
In the Thai tradition, the New Year begins early in the morning when faithful Thai Buddhists give alms to Buddhist monks. They may also cleans Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at temples by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. After that, they release caged animals, especially birds and fish. Elders and parents will be visited and respected by their children and grandchildren. The young pour scented water over their elder’s hands, they in return, wish them good health, happiness and prosperity. This tradition of paying respect is called “Rod Nam Dam Hua”. April 14 is called “Family Day”.
Thai people may carry handfuls of sand to their neighborhood temple in order to recompense the dirt that they have carried away on their feet during the rest of the year. The sand is then sculpted into stupa-shaped piles and decorated with colorful flags.
Some people make New Year resolutions to refrain from bad behavior, or to do good things. Songkran is a time for cleaning and renewal. Besides washing household Buddha images, many Thais also take this opportunity to give their home a thorough cleaning.
Nowadays, the emphasis is on fun and water-throwing rather than on the festival's spiritual and religious aspects, which sometimes prompts complaints from traditionalists. In recent years there have been calls to moderate the festival to lessen the many alcohol-related road accidents as well as injuries attributed to extreme behavior such as water being thrown in the faces of traveling motorcyclists."
My experience of Songkran involved being in the back of a truck and riding all over Khon Kaen with Alvin and some Thai friends. We had giant buckets in the back of the truck and threw water at all passerby, both pedestrians and those also in the backs of trucks (although I was morally opposed to hitting motorcyclists and didn't let them throw water on them. There are an average of 500 deaths every Songkran from just such things). It was like a video game, where the whole city is playing at once. Kids, adults, old people... everyone is throwing water and putting powder on your face. As a female farang, I got a LOT of powder put on my face. It was sweet, actually, and really fun. After driving around for like 3 hrs and FREEZING from buckets of ice water being put down my back, we stopped and walked around "Kao Nee-ow" road, or Sticky Rice Road. It was like the state fair here, with tons of bands, food, and lights. Also, lots more powder. I can't describe the amount of powder people put on my face. The whole city was out to play.
Below are assorted photos from the day, stolen from Allison who didn't sit in the back of the truck and stayed relatively dry.
Happy New Year, with love from Khon Kaen!!
