Joanna James
Tipped to be one of the most colourful and exciting local festivals in Thailand, Songkran is an annual celebration of the Thai New Year. Here is a list of unique facts about the festivities.
Taking place in the month of April, Songkran is not only one of the most popular local festivals in the Thai calendar but also among the top cultural events of the year. Harking in the dawn of the New Year, Thai residents celebrate the coming of the New Year in April, unlike most western cultures which celebrate the occasion on the 1st of January.
Water is perhaps the most significant element in the marking of the Thai New Year or Songkran as the popularity of street water fights and tourists engaging in said activities clearly demonstrate. Another key element of the celebration of Songkran is the focus on family and community.
This is the day which is officially known as Songkran Day and it is the first day of the festival. Residents in most major Thai municipalities will host large scale processions featuring Buddha images and take to the streets. The first day of the festival also means Thais have to cleanse their homes in preparation of the New Year so many locals can be seen attending to household chores and cleaning activities. Held on the 13th of April, this is also the day in which the friendly water fights on the streets begin in earnest.
The next day or the second day of the festival is identified as Wan Nao. Marked on the 14th of April, Wan Nao is mainly concerned with saying goodbye to the previous year. Resembling the tone and mood of New Year's Eve, most locals head to the Buddhist temples in their townships to construct chedis of sand.
The New Year Day of the Songkran festival falls on the 15th of April. Also known as Thai New Year's Day the celebrations hit a fever pitch during this special day in the Thai calendar. The first order of business for locals is to head to the temple to make offerings and gain blessings for the year ahead. Many other cultural activities are also organized on the 15th to welcome the New Year in style.
The Thai capital city of Bangkok is one of the best venues to celebrate Songkran with the local populace for tourists as there are countless large-scale events held in conjunction with this auspicious time of year.
Although the capital is one of the more popular hotspots for celebrating Songkran in Thailand, it is by no means the only location in which the festival is marked with great pomp and pageantry. Visitors based at hotels in Siam Bangkok whether it's the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel or any of the many similar hotels in the area will also witness water fights on the street in April. Other hot pick locations for tourists to experience Songkran include Chiang Mai and Phuket. The beach holiday hubs in Thailand are, in fact, some of the best locations to celebrate Songkran as the parades and other events are less crowded than Bangkok.
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A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
