Almost all of us have enjoyed water fights as kids. Squirting each other with water guns and getting scolded by adults for all the mess, ah the good times! But in Thailand, you don’t need to be a kid to have a good old water fight, the fun’s open to all! The great Songkran Festival is the time for this.
What exactly is Songkran? Originating from the Sanskrit word of ‘saṃkrānti’ which means “astrological passage”, Songkran is the festival that celebrated the coming of the New Year according to Thai belief. This Thai New Year’s Day falls on the 13th of April every year, however, the holiday period lasts for days long that it is considered to be the longest public holiday in Thailand. Festivities can also differentiate from region to region. In Samui for example, since the town’s economy is mostly generated through tourism the festivities are held in a way that tourists can also join in the fun.
The Paradise Island Festival held during the Songkran holidays, is a music and arts festival that feature ‘plenty of splashing around’ as well as performances by bands and DJ’s from around the world. You can find many a Koh Samui beach resort or hotel ready to welcome the New Year in style too. Places like the Anantara Bophut Resort hold special events that give guests an insight into the culture of Songkran, featuring drum parades and traditional rituals where blessings of the Buddha are given and gifts are donated to monks.
So from where does the whole ‘water splashing’ aspect come from? According to ancient Thai belief, cleansing Buddha icons and statues with fragrant water is said to wash away the bad luck attained through the last year and bring prosperity and good luck to the New Year. It is this ritual that has extended itself to splashing water at one another as the Thais believe that it will wash away their bad luck and leave them with a fresh, clean state to welcome the year.
If you’re touring Thailand during this time, there’s plenty of fun waiting for you! There will be scores of children prowling the streets with large water guns just waiting to drench their victims. Tourists are prime targets, and if you don’t want to be soaked it’s better to stay indoors as you never know when someone might come from behind and pour ice cold water on you! However, it’s all for fun, and isn’t holidays all about having fun? So join the party and splash around for Songkran!
Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.
