Splish splash splendour: Pattaya preps for a Wan Lai soaking (video)
Pattaya City is gearing up for a splash-tastic 2025 with its iconic Wan Lai Naklua and Wan Lai Pattaya festivals. Known for their thrilling water-pouring ceremonies, dazzling cultural performances, and energetic parades, these events promise a spectacle like no other.
The vibrant preparations were discussed in a meeting led by Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Rermkijakarn at Pattaya City Hall.
The festivals kick off on April 18 at Lan Pho Naklua Public Park with the Wan Lai Naklua festival. The day’s order of events includes spiritual activities such as Buddhist chanting, almsgiving, and the sacred bathing of Buddha statues.
Festival-goers can also experience the traditional water-pouring ceremony to garner blessings from elders, delight in captivating cultural performances, and witness a magnificent floral parade featuring the glamorous reigning Miss Universe and Miss Grand, alongside a procession of monks bestowing good fortune.
The excitement continues on April 19 with the Wan Lai Pattaya festival at Wat Chai Mongkhon. The morning unfolds with offerings of food to monks and traditional Buddhist water-pouring rituals.
Visitors can immerse themselves in Thai cultural performances, nostalgic retro dance shows, and amusing traditional games including tug-of-war and the daring greased pole climb.
A majestic parade of floral floats and monks sets off from the temple, culminating with the building of sand pagodas on the picturesque Pattaya Beach.
While the exhilarating water splashing remains a major tourist draw, Pattaya City officials are hopeful that this year’s festivities will shift the spotlight towards the traditional and religious facets of Songkran, steering away from the chaotic water wars and wild parties of yesteryear.
Pattaya was left swimming in a sea of rubbish after the wild Wan Lai Day festivities last year, the grand finale of the Songkran celebrations, dumped a whopping 20 tonnes of waste across the city.
Deputy Mayor Manoch Nongyai hit the streets on the morning of April 20 to survey the soggy aftermath, lending his support to exhausted city workers tackling the mammoth clean-up.
Teams from the Pattaya City Environment Office worked tirelessly to clear Beach Road and surrounding areas, battling mountains of litter left in the wake of the water-soaked revelry.
Expect more of the same this year!
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