Songkran

The four days of Songkran. Do it like a local.

Published

6 months ago

April 13, 2019

The four days of Songkran. Do it like a local. | The Thaiger

Over four days of festivities, Songkran officially begins on April 13 with each day focusing on different activities and traditions.

April 13 – Wan Sangkhan Lohng

On this day residents clean their houses in preparation of the New Year’s festivities and the Chiang Mai Songkran parade. This procession involves the passing of revered Buddha images and parade floats through the streets of Chiang Mai province.

April 14 – Wan Nao

In preparation for the Buddhist celebratory merry-making the following day, people spend this day preparing cooked meals and preserved cuisine. Buckets of sand were commonly collected and brought into the temples to construct sand chedis, or sand shrines that are then decorated.

April 15 – Wan Payawan

As the first day of the New Year, people would gather in the early morning at the wat to offer the food prepared the previous day along with new robes, fruit and other goods to the temple monks. In the past, this was the day where subdued water play began.

April 16 – Wan Paak Bpee

On the last day of Songkran, people paid their respects to their forebears and poured scented water over the hands of their elders who would then bless those taking part in the celebratory tradition known as rod ‘naam daam hua’.

Or if you intend getting REALLY wet then here are some guidelines that will help you get the best out of the annual celebration.

SOURCE: PR Thai Government

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Pattaya

Pattaya’s LONG Songkran comes to an end today

Published

6 months ago

April 19, 2019

The Thaiger & The Nation

Pattaya’s LONG Songkran comes to an end today | The Thaiger

Whilst most of us have hung up our water pistols last Saturday or Sunday following Songkran revellry, punters in Pattaya have been hard at it all week.

But after 9 days of water wastage and Songkran celebrations, the annual festivities come to a close in parades and official festivities today and tomorrow.

Officially, according to the Pattaya Mail, April 19 is the final day of Pattaya’s Songkran celebrations. Ceremonies are being held today at Chaimongkol Temple. Alms offerings and elderly blessing ceremony were held early this morning and cultural shows continuing during the day featuring dancing and traditional games.

Pattaya’s Songkran parade started at noon along Second Road, Central Road and back along Beach Road to Bali Hai Pier before returning to the temple.

Pattaya officials reminded revellers that powder and chalk isn’t permitted, along with high-power water guns. Water-throwing is ‘meant’ to stop at 6pm, but… well… Songkran!

Tomorrow, April 20, the Rice Festival in Naklua, with no water throwing, officially draws the mid-April events to a close.

SOURCE: Pattaya Mail

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Songkran

Twitter shares the Songkran experience – 2.8 million tweets

Published

6 months ago

April 19, 2019

The Thaiger

Thais flocked to Twitter during this year’s Songkran to share their experiences. This year’s #Songkran’s festivities generated 2.8 million Tweets from April 12-16 and the conversation peaked on April 13, around 6pm, with 71,000 Tweets per minute.

The celebration of the Thai Buddhist New Year, Songkran, is a time for family. It’s the time for reflection on the past year, for paying respect to elders, and preparation for the year ahead. Whether you were enjoying the water fights, travelling overseas or spending time with family; Thais flocked to Twitter to share their Songkran experience.

Whether you were traveling with family for Songkran holiday, spending some time with friends to be part of the water fights, or looking for some inspirations around Thailand this Songkran; hashtags proved a popular way for Thais to come together and share their Songkran experience on Twitter.

The top Thai language hashtag and second most popular overall was #สงกรานต์, the Thai language equivalent of #Songkran. The hashtag was used widely as a rallying cry to events and activities taking place all across Thailand.

#WhatsHappening is happening on Twitter as Thais are taking to the platform to share their moments and join in the conversation.

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Phuket

Total five deaths in Phuket Songkran ‘Seven Day of Danger’ campaign

Published

6 months ago

April 18, 2019

The Thaiger

PHOTO: Kathu Police

As reports are tallied for the seventh full day (April 17) of the ‘Seven Days of Danger’ road and marine safety campaign, there were 3 road accidents, including 1 injury and two deaths on the final day.

Those two dead were from separate motorbike accidents.

A motorbike driver, 68 year old Filipino man Regoberto Igaciq, died at the scene at the intersection of Khwang Road and Chao Fah West Road in Wichit yesterday at 1.25am.

He was travelling on his motorbike when a Mercedes Benz, whose driver was a Cambodian man, collided with his motorbike. The report says that the car driver’s alcohol test was indicated he was over the legal limit.

Another death was a 14 year old male Maythasit Maneeman who was a motorbike passenger. He died at the scene after the motorbike he was travelling on collided with another motorbike at 2.50pm yesterday on Wichit Songkram Road in Phuket Town. He skidded off the motorbike and under the wheels of a Po Thong Bus (Phuket local bus) which was following behind.

The Songkran ‘Seven Day of Danger’ campaign ended at midnight Wednesday. There were a total of 33 accidents, 34 injuries and 5 deaths in Phuket.

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