News Forum - The Story of Songkran – What you need to know about the Thai New Year

[Thaiger]

Songkran, or the Thai New Year, is the the largest and most famous of Thailand’s many traditional festivals. Known for huge water fights and water blessing ceremonies, it’s been celebrated for centuries and is rich in culture and tradition. Every year, the celebrations begin on April 13 and normally last three days until the 15th of April. The name was inherited from ancient Sanskrit, a language that dates back thousands of years. Songkran combines the words “Song” and “Krant” and refers to the sun beginning a new Zodiac sign. Songkran translates to “entering” and “stepping into.” It’s when the sun […]

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[Ramanathan.P]

Do take note 14th April is the Tamil New Year. It is the 1st Day of Tamil Calendar for centuries. In Southern India some places it is also called as "Sangaranthi" in rural areas

[Grumpyoldman]

I'm sorry but I don't believe this article. The government say Songkran is just a commercial invention. Surely we should believe them?

[emshar]

Why are we having Songkran this year in Phuketwhen we are so short of water?

Emshar

[BJoe]

I’ve been told that the true tradition involves a sprinkling of water on people you encounter, or placing baby powder on someone’s face to symbolically alleviate the often oppressive heat. It is done with respect, tact, and symbolism.  However it has evolved into water fights, drenching, and chaos, particularly influenced by western tourists.  It is the latter which has the greatest influence in attracting younger tourist in the month of April. 

[Marc26]

2 hours ago, BJoe said:

I’ve been told that the true tradition involves a sprinkling of water on people you encounter, or placing baby powder on someone’s face to symbolically alleviate the often oppressive heat. It is done with respect, tact, and symbolism.  However it has evolved into water fights, drenching, and chaos, particularly influenced by western tourists.  It is the latter which has the greatest influence in attracting younger tourist in the month of April. 

It's not "particularly influenced by western tourists "

 

You must not have been to any parts of Thailand beyond tourist areas

It's just as raucous as any tourist town 

 

That's been forum folklore for ever

 

I've been in a bunch of places in Thailand that have massive waterfights

 

Oh and my wife and her friends stopped going into the big town long ago because they were getting sexually assulted by local Thai guys!

[Ramanathan.P]

3 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

Oh and my wife and her friends stopped going into the big town long ago because they were getting sexually assulted by local Thai guys!

Yes, the original tradition of Songkran has been diverted into more of a sexual explcit in big cities,especially in Pattaya and Phuket. Once can see all those bar girls and service providers coming to the street with sexually revealing outfits and getting drentched themselves in water to promote themselves. That is also one of the reason it attracts lots of foreign men to come and enjoy the free show and select their picks for that night. What to do...that is the way it is being promoted for the sake of tourism income. 

[Pinetree]

What you need to know about Songkran, is that unless you are Thai, or a drunk idiot Farang with a kids water pistol; rent a house with a pool, stock up with drink and food, (and a LT hooker who hasn't gone 'home' if you are so minded)  lock the gate firmly, make a list of stuff to watch on video and hunker down until the madness passes. 

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, Ramanathan.P said:

Yes, the original tradition of Songkran has been diverted into more of a sexual explcit in big cities,especially in Pattaya and Phuket. Once can see all those bar girls and service providers coming to the street with sexually revealing outfits and getting drentched themselves in water to promote themselves. That is also one of the reason it attracts lots of foreign men to come and enjoy the free show and select their picks for that night. What to do...that is the way it is being promoted for the sake of tourism income. 

That is the complete opposite of what I said.....

 

Again, I don't think a lot of you have experienced Songkran outside of tourist towns 

 

If you did, you would see all the same actions by young Thais

[Ramanathan.P]

33 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

That is the complete opposite of what I said.....

Again, I don't think a lot of you have experienced Songkran outside of tourist towns 

If you did, you would see all the same actions by young Thais

I do agree with you...it is totally different outside tourists towns. It is basically family reunion and merit making a temples. it is really peaceful and enjoyable in the province especialy in smaller towns and villages where one can clearly see the real Songkran

[Huckster]

7 hours ago, Ramanathan.P said:

I do agree with you...it is totally different outside tourists towns. It is basically family reunion and merit making a temples. it is really peaceful and enjoyable in the province especialy in smaller towns and villages where one can clearly see the real Songkran

You really dont get it.
He means it the same madness outside the tourists towns with young thais groping girls,
and huge water fights.

 

[MrStretch]

19 minutes ago, Huckster said:

You really dont get it.
He means it the same madness outside the tourists towns with young thais groping girls,
and huge water fights.

Not sure where you've experienced Songkran but we don't have such shenanigans (in large scale) here in Hat Yai. It's pretty much an all-Thai affair with some Malaysians thrown in.  Probably a lot of them this year, as Eid coincides with Songkran.  In town there are generally only a few streets that are full-on water madness, including the downtown area and generally one "major" street in each neighborhood.

But when I visit the small villages, it's normally just a couple of kids with a barrel full of water throwing at passing people, and families getting together for food and reunions, and of course some time at the temple.

We'll be visiting the moo bahn on the 14th, which is their traditional day of celebration.  I won't be wet, no one will be groped, and there won't be huge water fights.  It's what I consider more of the Thai version of Thailand.

 

[Marc26]

10 hours ago, Ramanathan.P said:

I do agree with you...it is totally different outside tourists towns. It is basically family reunion and merit making a temples. it is really peaceful and enjoyable in the province especialy in smaller towns and villages where one can clearly see the real Songkran

Jesus Christ have you read anything I have said????

[Marc26]

2 hours ago, Huckster said:

You really dont get it.
He means it the same madness outside the tourists towns with young thais groping girls,
and huge water fights.

Thank You!!!

[Marc26]

2 hours ago, MrStretch said:

Not sure where you've experienced Songkran but we don't have such shenanigans (in large scale) here in Hat Yai. It's pretty much an all-Thai affair with some Malaysians thrown in.  Probably a lot of them this year, as Eid coincides with Songkran.  In town there are generally only a few streets that are full-on water madness, including the downtown area and generally one "major" street in each neighborhood.

But when I visit the small villages, it's normally just a couple of kids with a barrel full of water throwing at passing people, and families getting together for food and reunions, and of course some time at the temple.

We'll be visiting the moo bahn on the 14th, which is their traditional day of celebration.  I won't be wet, no one will be groped, and there won't be huge water fights.  It's what I consider more of the Thai version of Thailand.

Yes small villages will have the traditional type Songkran 

Most will have it at the Temple

I've done that a few times.....

 

It's nice, small water fight

Thai bands and dancers performing 

 

But many young Thais in those villages will go into the bigger towns to "play water"

Not a farang, or very few, in sight and they do the exact crazy type Songkran that you see in tourist towns 

 

Farang tourists aren't the culprits for crazy Songkran.....no matter how many times people say that on these forums

 

Go to big local towns like Udon Thani or the local part of Kanchanaburi and you will say the same thing 

 

 

We once were staying in Kanchaburi with my wife, MIL and my young SIL during Songkran 

We ventured outside the hotel and lasted maybe 20 minutes 

It was 99% Thais getting drunk and it had a very bad vibe to it

 

I have taken my stepson to Silom, probably the craziest place for Songkran in all of Thailand 

95% Thais and it was crazy, but a blast