สงกรานต์

สงกรานต์ (SONGKRAN)

The Thai New Year (Thai: สงกรานต์ Songkran) is celebrated every year on 13th to 15th April.

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 a 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 (น้ำอบไทย) over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year.

In many cities, such as Chiang-Mai, the Buddha images from all of the city's important monasteries are paraded through the streets so that people can toss water at them, ritually 'bathing' the images, as they pass by on ornately decorated floats.

In northern Thailand, 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.

Today, Lidy and I went to one of the largest markets in Bangkok Chatuchak Weekend Market at Mo Chit (Yeah, I know. You go figure how to pronounce it. Lidy is having all sorts of trouble.) While there, we got an occasional spray of water from bunches of children (some in their late fifty's), so Russell decided to arm himself and retaliate.


He bought himself the largest Water Cannon available in the market and filled it to the brim. I think it was at around that time WWIII broke out. Russell dodging between shoppers to sneak off pot-shots at all and sundry, or hiding his Water Cannon behind his back to sneak up on some unsuspecting individual and then to administer a thorough drenching.


Around this time is when groups of irate shopkeepers who had had their goods drenched, formed vigilante groups and armed themselves with buckets of iced water before going in search of Russell.

It was, of course difficult for Russell to hide among the crowd as most Thai people are less than five feet tall and Russell stands at (to them) a massive six feet++.


Well, pretty soon it was on for young and old with water raining down all around us. Of course, with the temperature of over 35 degrees, being wet through certainly had its advantages.

After running out of water in the Water Cannon, Russell decided to buy a second weapon, a pistol this time for close combat.


Given that the actual Songkran festival doesn't kick off until tomorrow, we didn't do too bad a job in pre-empting it.

One strange happening: Lidy went to the police booth to ask directions, and Russell dripped along after her armed to the teeth with water guns. At the police booth, Russell was warned that firing water in Thailand is illegal and can lead to a prison sentence. Russell, still dripping water on the floor of the police booth promptly hid his Water Cannon and Water Pistol behind his back and claimed that he didn't understand English. This caused some confusion, especially when Russell left and threatened the Seargeant with a good soaking. Thankfully, Lidy grabbed the Water Cannon and pushed Russell along in front of her leaving the befuddled police officers looking on in amazement.

One problem we had was getting back to the hotel soaking wet. Taxis were reluctant to let us ride and after some negotiation, we eventually found a Tuk Tuk driver who was happy to take us home (for a fee).

A couple of drenched passengers in the Tuk Tuk