Songkran Festival is the traditional Thai New Year, it is the time when Thais go the Temples offering food to the Buddhist monks, freeing birds or turtles back into the wild (It is believed if you free a turtle it will give you a longer life), houses are spring-cleaned, scented water is sprinkled on their elders as a sign of respect!
Songkran (don’t mix with Songkrant as this means WAR!) means movement or displacement, refers to the Sun is moving into the New Year. New year days last from April 13th-15th, annually.
April 13th is called Maha Songkran day. April 14th is called Wan Nao, and April 15th is called the beginning of new year day. These may be called differently in the north from region to region, but still easy to understand. For example, April 13th, called Sungkarnlong day, means the old body, mind and spirits of the old year are leaving. April 14th, called Wan Nao, April 15th, called Wan Paya Wan, means a first important day of the New Year.
Songkran days are also without a doubt family days and where possible the families leave the big cities to spend time with their families and pay respect in recognition of everything they did for them. The traditional greeting is '
Sawadee Pi Mai', which means "
Happy New Year".
Wan Lai Festival
Songkran Festival - a lot of water As the heat in Thailand intensifies once the month of April comes, Thai ancestors were wise enough to initiate the Songkran Festival as a way to cool off from the heat, celebrating Thai New Year at the same time. In the central region Songkran is usually held on the 13th, 14th and 15th of April whilst in the east the activities commence on the 18th and 19th April as "Wan Lai" (Flowing Day) Jomtien and Pattaya hold their festival on the 19th with activities such as water pouring for the elders, processions and the fun of soaking each other with water, foreigners do not escape they are a prime target.
