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Songkhran
is the celebration of the old Thai New Year (pre 1940). Buddhists visit
the temple for the ceremony of Rod Nam Dam Nua. They sprinkle water on
the Buddha images, and on the hands of the monks and novices at the
temple, as an offering to express confidence that the supply of water
will be adequate to cover the dry season. |
A
festive
atmosphere engulfs the whole country for the five days
of holiday and all major public figures will be found somewhere or
other presiding over a celebratory gathering.
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| Across
the Kingdom, people return to their home towns so that they
can
spend time together with their families. People will follow traditional
celebrations by making merit in wats, offering food and daily items to
monks and paying respects to older members of the family, like parents
and grandparents, by giving them new clothes and pouring fragrant water
on their hands. |
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This
traditional
mid-summer break marks the New Year as people look forward to the
harvests to come and give respect to the Lord Buddha and the spirits
that permit their lives to continue. |
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| This
holiday has now become
secularized, with exuberant merrymakers
taking to the streets throwing water at each other, and you, by the cup
full, the bucket full, or even with a hose. To add to the fun, talc is
mixed with the water and may be daubed on your face. Take it all in
good spirit, no one is exempt, not even the policemen. The cool water
may even be a welcome relief as the festival coincides with the time
when the sun is due overhead and the weather can be very hot. |
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The
gentle splashing of water has
given way among many young people to large scale shooting of water jets
from the back of pickup trucks and water fights in public areas. |
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The
hot weather and the wet, festive atmosphere encourage many young (and
not so young) men to become a little licentious. In the past, Songkhran
was a time when young people were able to mix with some minimal
supervision with a view to finding potential spouses |
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Pick
up trucks have become the favourite mode of transport in rural Thailand
and these can be "tooled up" with a 220 litre drum and a variety of
receptacles for dispensing the water on the suspecting other natives.
Riding a motorcycle during the 2/3 day festival can be perilous and in
some circumstances, downright dangerous. |
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