The Thai New Year or Songkran Festival is celebrating annually from April 13 to April 15. The date of the festival was originally set by astrological calculation, but it is now fixed. If these days fall on a weekend, the missed days off are taken on the weekdays immediately following. Most of people will heading back to their hometown to pay respect to their elders.
The most obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water. People roam the streets with containers of water or water guns, or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. This, however, was not always the main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends and neighbors.
Besides the throwing of water, people celebrating Songkran may also go to “wat” (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They may also cleanse Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries 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. People may carry handfuls of sand to their neighborhood monastery 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.
The throwing of water originated as a way to pay respect to people, by gently pouring a small amount of lustral water on other people’s hands or over a shoulder as a sign of respect. Among young people the holiday evolved to include dousing strangers with water to relieve the heat, since April is the hottest month in Thailand (temperatures can rise to over 100°F or 40°C on some days). This has further evolved into water fights and splashing water over people riding in vehicles.
The water is meant as a symbol of washing all of the bad away and is sometimes filled with fragrant herbs.
Songkran Festival in Bangkok this year will be from April 10 to April 15, 2009. Many places have very interesting venues to celebrated this special occasion, especially the 9 sacred places and Rattanakosin Square in Bangkok.
You can experience the demonstration of the Songkran Festival in 4 regions at Wat Pho as well as enjoy demonstrstions of Thai food and local desserts, feast your eyes on cultural performances.
Moreover, in the Songkran Festival, TAT would like to invite you to dress Thai attire, visit and participate in the event of "the 9 Sacred Places ". The 9 royal temples in the Rattanakosin Square. To experience the wonderful treasure and enjoy the Songkran Festival in authentic Thai syle.