Songkran Day (also Songkran Festival, Thailand’s Water Festival) is New Year in Thailand. It is on between the13th – 15th April every year. On Songkran, the government gives people a long holiday, so country people in Bangkok come back to their hometown.

            When saying “Songkran”, most people think of playing water happily. This becomes the signature of Songkran in Thailand. Thousands of tourists attend water war in Bangkok especially Khaosan Road. 

              Other than playing water, there are many interesting activities in Thai culture on Sangkran Day. Before Songkran Day, Thai people clean their homes and prepare beautiful clothes and things to go to the temple. Thai people believe that when the house is clean, people’s life is ready for good luck and good things. 
             

            On Songkran Day, in the morning, Thai people give food to a monk.

             In late morning, people pay respect to the elderly who are parents, grandparents or old people by pouring water mixed with Thai classical perfume (in Thai “Nam Ob”) and jasmines onto their hands. This picture is beautiful showing gratefulness and respect. People also clean the Buddha shelf and Buddha sculptures in their houses. Then people put a Buddha sculpture on the table and pour same kind of water onto a Buddha sculpture. This shows respect to Buddha.

            In the afternoon, people go to the temple to make merit such as paying respect to Buddha statue, donating some money, freeing animals (birds, fish, etc.) and building the sand castle. When people make merit, they are happy. When people are happy, people have encouragement to work and live.