Bangkok – Songkran – love it or hate it!

Every year April brings a time of joy to millions of Thai’s, and a time of dread for thousands of expats.  Songkran is an adventure you should experience at least once.  A lot of expats find this time of year a good time to escape to other parts of Southeast  Asia, but at the same time, thousands of Singaporeans, Taiwanese, Malaysians and travelers from Hong Kong come to Thailand to celebrate and party.

Songkran is a Thai traditional New Year which starts on April 13 every year and lasts for 3 days.

April 13 is Maha Songkran Day or the day to mark the end of the old year; April 14 is Wan Nao which is the day after, and April 15 is Wan Thaloeng Sok on which the New Year begins.

At this time, people from the rural areas who are working in the city usually return home to celebrate the festival. Thus, when the time comes, Bangkok temporarily turns into a deserted city, with the exception of a few tourist places, which are so crowded with people celebrating that the traffic comes to a complete standstill.

The Songkran tradition is recognized as a valuable custom for the Thai community, society and religions. The value for family is to provide the opportunity for family members to gather in order to express their respect to their elders by pouring scented water onto the hands of their parents and grandparents,and to present them with gifts, as well as making merit to dedicate the result to their ancestors. The elders in return wish the youngsters good luck and prosperity.

The most-talked about celebration takes place in the northern province of Chiang Mai. During this time, people from all parts of the country flock there to enjoy the water festival, to watch the Miss Songkran Contest and the beautiful parades.

Some areas of Bangkok go crazy at Songkran.

Two areas that everyone, both Thai and farang, flock to are Kao San Road, and Silom Road.  Everyone will be armed with the latest pump action water pistols and walk the streets just soaking everyone else. Pickup trucks will be jammed full of people surrounding a large water barrel and as the truck drives past bowls of water are tossed from the container onto everyone.

This is a time when thousands of high school and university students party until early in the morning.  Many gay venues close for the festival, but some other venues actually set up parties for the revelers.  On Silom Soi 4, hundreds gather for water throwing outside of Telephone Pub, with water, ice and talcum powder everywhere, it turns into a war zone.

The whole of Silom from Rama IV Road to Naratiwat Road is closed to traffic in the late afternoon, as thousands gather to play, party, and drink and listen to live bands.

Your can still find more traditional aspects of the original Songkran festival, such as the procession of the Thai-Lao Buddha image Luang Pho Phra Sai which is paraded around the north-eastern city of Nong Khai.

Every one is welcome to join in blessing and being blessed by the governor and elderly people.

Enjoy the sand chedi building contest, Miss Songkran procession, gay beauty contest, Mekong fish cooking contest, Nong Khai souvenir contest, local sports competition, swimming across the Mekong River, folk shows, and of course, the fun of being drenched with water on a hot sunny day.

In Phuket you can see the procession of Phra Buddha Sihing, the Songkran parade and the Young Kids Songkran Contest, and then enjoy the water fun along Patong Beach.

In Pattaya local people come together to make merit in several ways at this annual festival. They build chedi out of sand, give water to monks and pay respect to elderly people. The fun part includes a Songkran procession, cultural shows, the Miss Songkran Beauty Contest

and joyfully throwing water at one another along the beach at Pattaya; Pattaya starts their Songkran festivals after the rest of the country, usually 17-19 April.

Some words of wisdom.  By all means, join the fun, but dress accordingly, as you will be soaking wet for 3 days.  Try to leave all your valuables at home as this time of year there are a great many thieves out, looking to rip you off.  Also be sure to wrap up anything you do take, wallet, money, ID card, and mobile phones in a heavy plastic bag, as you will be totally drenched.

Pattaya Songkran          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60JTG23NCEQ

Chiang Mai Songkran    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl_KkwITqsg

Bangkok Silom Songkran    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNY2SXPaqFo

Kao San Rd Songkran   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rIWre4zOG8

Songkran in Laos (PiiMai)

Celebrated at the same time as in Thailand it is more a time of being with the family, and not as Wet and Wild (except perhaps in Vientiane and Luang Prabang).  Itr takes place in April, the hottest time of the year in Laos, which is also the start of the monsoon season.

The official festival lasts for three days from April 13 to April 15 (although celebrations can last more than a week in towns like Luang Prabang).

The first day is the last day of the old year. Houses and villages are properly cleaned on the first day. Perfume, water and flowers are also prepared for the Lao New Year. The second day of the festival is the “day of no day”, a day that falls in neither the old year nor the new year. The last day of the festival marks the start of the new year.

Water is used for washing homes, Buddha images, monks, and soaking friends and passers-by. Students first respectfully pour water on their elders, then monks for blessings of long life and peace, and last of all they throw water at each other. The water is perfumed with flowers or natural perfumes. Some people prefer flowers in the water to give a pleasant smell, as well as adding cologne/perfume. Over the years another tradition has developed with Lao New Year: people will smear or throw cream (shaving cream or whipped cream) or white powder on each other during the celebrations.

Lao New Year   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFn8dNjr2S0

Songkran in Cambodia (properly called Chaul Chnam Thmey – Khymer New Year)

Lasting three full days in mid-April at the same time as in Thailand and Laos (13 – 16 April), Khmer New Year is, arguably, the most popular festival and national holiday in Cambodia.

Chol Chnam Thmey as it is called in Khmer, coincides with the end of the harvesting season so farmers celebrate the New Year with their families and enjoy some relaxation before the rainy season starts again.

Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh becomes almost a ghost town as all the countryside people working there go home.  A majority of the businesses close for the week.  People travel from near and far to be with their families; visit temples and celebrations are widespread all over the country. Streets are often packed with people enjoying some time with their friends and families and you will also see traditional games and dances.

The throwing of water is also a notable feature this special time of year and, although it has been limited in the main tourist areas, it’s still widespread in the countryside and rural areas.  In terms of accommodation and travelling around the country, Khmer New Year is, one of the busiest periods of the year in Cambodia, with both buses and local hotels and guesthouses filling up early, so it is usually a good idea to book both tickets and accommodation in advance.

Maha Songkran, derived from Sanskrit Maha Sankranti, is the name of the first day of the new year celebration. It is the ending of the year and the beginning of a new one. People dress up and light candles and burn incense sticks at shrines, where the members of each family pay homage to offer thanks for the Buddha’s teachings by bowing, kneeling and prostrating themselves three times before his image. For good luck people wash their face with holy water in the morning, their chests at noon, and their feet in the evening before they go to bed.

Virak Wanabat is the name of the second day of the new year celebration. People contribute charity to the less fortunate by helping the poor, servants, homeless, and low-income families. Families attend a dedication ceremony to their ancestors at the monastery.

Tngay Leang Saka is the name of the third day of the new year celebration. Buddhists cleanse the Buddha statues and their elders with perfumed water. Bathing the Buddha images is the symbol that water will be needed for all kinds of plants and lives. It is also thought to be a kind deed that will bring longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity in life. By bathing their grandparents and parents, children can obtain from them best wishes and good advice for the future.

Khmer New Year http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfDlygaEhkk\

(cambodiaout)