Thailand - Celebrating Songkran

t h e . d r e a m e r · Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:48 pm Post subject: Thailand - Celebrating Songkran

Songkran Festival
(Thai New Year)

Thailand's most celebrated festival is the Songkran Festival. It starts April 13 and lasts between 3 and 10 days, depending on where you are in Thailand. The word Songkran is from the Sanskrit meaning the beginning of a new Solar Year, but nowadays Thailand celebrates the New Year on 31 December.

The Thai people celebrate this festival with water. Everyone gets soaking wet and since it is the hottest season of the year, the custom is quite refreshing. Songkran is a Public Spring Cleaning Day, supported by the religious belief that anything old and useless must be thrown away or it will bring bad luck to the owner.

During the afternoon of the 13th, Buddha images are bathed as part of the ceremony. Young people pour scented water into the hands of elders and parents as a mark of respect while seeking the blessing of the older people. In ancient days, old people were actually given a bath and clothed in new apparel presented by the young folks as a token of respect for the New Year.

Until recently Thailand was almost entirely an agricultural society and this has been a perfect time to take break from the business of earning a living. The rice harvest is in, and replanting has to await the coming of the rains.

It is an old belief that the Nagas or mythical serpents brought on rain by spouting water from the seas. The more they spouted, the more rain there would be. So, one might believe that the Songkran customs of throwing water is actually a rain-making idea, but it seems that the Thais don't really bother about way they celebrate Songkran - they just do it for having a great time!

Here are some pictures of Thai's & Tourist celebrating Songkran:

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Nobody’s p e r f e c t,
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t h e . d r e a m e r · Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject:

When I was living in Phuket, Thailand, we will drive to Patong (tourist town central) in our open jeep. We had on our swimming suit and put our shirts over. On the way to Patong, whenever there is a traffic stop and police, even they shot us with their water guns!

The worst part was when some of the Thais started throwing icy cold water at us! It was so cold. On some stops, I got pasted with red and white powder on my face. By the time we reach Patong, we have to open our doors to let the water out because it will be like a little kids pool inside! LOL

Back to our house, we set up a big tank of water (we had a big blue tank to keep our live lobsters and since it was empty, we filled it up with water). Everyone, cars, motorbike, people who walked past our house get sprayed at with water! My best friend at that time, Niels would join us together with some other foreigners and we really had fun because it was refreshing. We even took time to dunk ourselves in the blue tank!

This is the best part of living in Thailand that I will always remember.

Shilpa · Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:18 pm Post subject:

this is very very very similar to holi in india!
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~~*Shilpa*~~

Steffi · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 1:46 pm Post subject:

i wish i was one of those people who are wet............
coz its so freakin hot in here.....lol
cool pix, hx!!!

t h e . d r e a m e r · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:17 pm Post subject:

The Thais are still celebrating Songkran but we decided not to visit Thailand for this festival this year because there is some political tensions in the country.

However, the water splashing is really fun. Why don't you organise a water fight like that where you are? I do that quite often and its fun especially when you are still in your shirts!

Ashirox · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 1:25 pm Post subject:

Christine · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:47 pm Post subject:

Ashirox · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:21 am Post subject:

hehe..
Yea white may turn out to be black,blue,pink,blah blah OR multi-coloured if there were colors
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t h e . d r e a m e r · Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:24 am Post subject: