Songkran - The Water Festival

So hot and humid in the mid April, what else would you be doing in Thailand to keep yourself fresh and cool. No problem, as virtually wherever you are the Water Festival is the answer. With the temperature potentially rising up to 40 degree centigrade and with presumably ample amount of fresh water despite the dry season, water plays a big, central role throughout the country -- Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pattaya, Phuket, you name it! Starting already from as early as the beginning of the month, people in provincial towns throw water to passerby on major streets. But, the real festivities are on April 13th - 15th when the Thai people travel purposefully to see their families. The Water Festival is also considered the traditional Thai New Year with its legacy dated back to more than 10 centuries. The Thai New Year had been practically used as the start of the year in Thailand until 1940, when it adopted the solar calendar system. Traditionally, this festival teaches people to respect the elderly by paying a visit, to express gratitude to those having fostered them, to make boon (according to the Buddhism's doctrine), and in short just to be with the family. I personally find this well compares with Christmas in the West, though the climate differs greatly. So, we throw water to other people out off the bowl, splash off the bucket, squirt off the hose, yet most mobile, shoot off the water pistol; and thereby, cool ourselves down.

The Water Festival is just so much fun, so much water, so much wet, and so much cooling you down as you would like to expect!

Now, let's take a glimpse of the Water Festival "Songkran" at this official invitation footage 2006:



Contrast to to the Thai traditions, see how Westerners and also some Thais enjoy water fighting. Here is a clip from Koh Samui:



Sincerely,
Boone (http://smilingland.blogspot.com)