"Songkran" is 1 one of Thailand's leading festivals, also called "water festival" that celebrates "Thai New Year" with water.
It seems like a festival originating in Thailand, originally the event of the spring equinance of India was transmitted, and the origin of "Songkran" means "change in Sanskrit".
Thai New Year has been changed several times in the past and formerly adopted the 5 month 1 day of the lunar calendar as the break of the year according to the custom of India but because it is inconvenient every year, it will soon be on 4 month 13 day It was fixed.
Today, 1 month 1 day is determined to be an official New Year, keeping pace with each country, "Songkran" is left as Thai Lunar New Year, and celebrated grandly every year.
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What are the events and practices to be done to Songkran?
Currently in Thailand, 4 days of 13 month 15 ~ 3 day every year is Sonkran and it is a holiday.
4 Since it is a hot summer of mid-January, it is said that it is the hottest year in the year, this period is also an agricultural season, most of the farm workers are off work, relaxing at home, spending with their families and friends To do.
Events and practices to be conducted at Songkran are mainly conducted at temples, and there are the following things.
- Cleaning home, public facilities, temples
- Donate to a monk
- Emergency (Hojo): To release fish and birds
- Listen to the priest's sermons and keep the five commandments
- Wash and cleanse the statue of Buddha
- Dedicate a sand mountain decorated with flags and flowers
- Sacrifice ancestry
- In order to pay tribute to the elders, I will lay off new clothes
- It puts fragrant water on the hands of the elders
- Behave well, everyone enjoys enjoying water
- Celebrate the New Year at each folk performing arts of the land
- Open "Miss Songkran" contest
Songkran's panting is escalating! What?
During Songkran 's period, traffic mainly from Bangkok is a returning customer, the traffic in the whole country is confused.
On 4 Monday 13 Day, which is the New Year's Day, we visit Sena-ji, train the ancestors, scatter the petals and sprinkle the small bowls scented with water and celebrate the New Year with water on the priests and elderly's hands It is practice from a long time ago.
In this way a calm habit was escalated among young people and developed into a grand water bargaining using a bucket or a water gun like present.
Outside, children and young people walk through a bucket or a water gun, bustling with water, banging water, crossing strangers with water in a bucket, shooting with a water gun, or just being bored with ice water We began to engage in fierce battle of water fighting, such as putting it on.
In the downtown area, there are also groups that make places in front of their homes and put water on passers-by persons and cars.
What is Songkran in the prefecture other than Bangkok?
In Bangkok neighboring prefecture, water is loaded on the platform of Sonteo (pickup truck), young people hit it with a water gun, sonteuts side by side, battle battle violently, fierce water multiplication all day I will.
In the ancient city Ayutthaya's elephant camp, the elephant discharges with a long nose, so also the figure of the elephant and someone who enjoys playing the water.
Also, in Songkran, not only water is applied, but also customs to coat whiskers of white body powder with water on the face have also become established, so at that time it is a precious opportunity to touch the opposite face dignifiedly It is.
Points to note about Songkran season
1. Book your hotel early
To attract Songkran events, tourists come from all over the world, so the hotel gets crowded.
I recommend you to make an early reservation.
2. The most airport crowded in a year
The Songkran season is New Year's Day for Thai people, so many people go abroad by using long vacation and the airport crowds.
People who use the airport can go to the airport with plenty of time.
3. Clothes that you can get wet in the water
When going out, let's wear a bathing suite inside or go out with clothes that you can get wet.
It is safe to put valuables, mobile phones, cameras etc in a waterproof bag.
At the center of Bangkok there is also movement to regulate water hanging
It is to put water on the New Year to pray for the opponent's good luck, so no one is getting angry anyhow, but problems are traffic accidents due to watering and drunk driving.
In the center of Bangkok, due to traffic accident concerns, the use of drinking alcohol and high pressure water guns was banned.
In some places such as Khao San Road, there are places where the street becomes a pedestrian heaven, hanging water with a hose or making a fuss about involving foreign tourists.
Let's experience Songkran once!
How was it? Some foreigners who live long in Thailand feel uncomfortable with the Songkran season, and every year at this time there are people who go out to the house by buying food and going to neighboring countries.
However, there are travelers visiting Thailand to take part in the event of Songkran, so during this time there are large migrations of people in the country, it may be different from usual Thailand.
I have been in Bangkok a few years ago at the time of Songkran, but I was shot by a water gun at the department store's guard man and lightly watered by the way, I had a fun experience. (I did not prepare anything, so it was just shot ....)
If you go goggled, you are divided into fully equipped factions with water guns and visitors, if you do not go into a group that mixes water well enough, there is no danger, so take a look at the situation and join the event celebrating the New Year Why do not you try it?
