Songkran Festival Thailand 13-15 April 2011
Songkran Festival is celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year’s Day celebration and it’s celebrated from the 13th to the 15th of April every year. Songkran is believed to have been adapted from an Indian festival. It is now observed nationwide, even in the far south. However, the most famous Songkran celebrations are still in the northern city of Chiang Mai, where it continues for six days and even longer. It has also become a party for foreigners and an additional reason for many to visit Thailand for immersion in another culture.
Songkran Festival Thailand (photo courtesy of Wikipedia)
The most obvious gesture that you will realize during the Sonkran Festival is the throwing of water. Thais 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. But the main activity during the Songkran Festival was to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends and neighbors.
Songkran is also celebrated in many places with a pageant in which young women demonstrate their beauty and unique talents, as judged by the audience. The level of financial support usually determines the winner, since, to show your support you must purchase necklaces which you place on your chosen girl. Well I guess the US and Aussie version of this is known as Mardi Gras.
You may also wanna have a look at the following links on my previous trip to Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand.
- My First Trip To Asia, Pattaya, Thailand
- Bangkok, Not To Only Bang Cock
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