Celebrate Thai New Year at Songkran Festival – 4 Key Tips

Reported by You T-Ru / Taipei

The annual "Songkran Festival" is just around the corner. Songkran is actually Thai New Year (also known as Songkran due to its pronunciation), and cities across Taiwan also hold water-splashing events to join in the fun. As such, this grand and crazy festival is definitely no stranger to Taiwanese. Here are four "Songkran Festival tips" for travelers heading to Thailand.


▲ Thai Songkran Festival. (Photo / Provided by Agoda)

Thailand has been celebrating Songkran for hundreds of years. Just as Taiwan is about to enter spring, Thailand’s cool dry season is also coming to an end, and people are getting ready to welcome the most anticipated Thai New Year of the year. Just like Chinese Lunar New Year, Thais also reunite with their families during this time, often visiting temples to offer incense, not only to give thanks for the smoothness of the past year but also to pray for a bountiful harvest in the coming year. At the same time, they also cleanse Buddha statues with scented holy water, and at home, they gently pour flower-scented holy water into the cupped hands of their elders as a form of blessing.

Songkran is a solar calendar festival, so it always takes place from April 13 to 15 every year, right when Thailand is at its hottest. Getting completely soaked is just the perfect way to beat the heat. Traditionally, the festival was a solemn and devout New Year celebration, but it has now evolved into a lively event that takes over the streets and alleys of Thailand. While most Thais still focus on reuniting with family and visiting popular temples, the spectacular street celebrations and the water fights involving thousands of people have often become the most eye-catching highlights.

During Songkran, everyone can take part in Thai-style New Year festivities, but be prepared to get instantly drenched—or even completely messy. Even if you’re just passing through a water fight zone, staying completely dry is simply an impossible mission. Aside from the intense water battles, don’t be surprised if strangers walking by greet you with “Sawa Dee Pee Mai!” (meaning Happy New Year in Thai), smear white scented powder mixed with water on your cheeks or hair, and then continue joyfully ambushing the next stranger.

Four Key Songkran Festival Tips:

1. Keep your wallet, phone, and other valuables in waterproof plastic bags

2. Wear comfortable but not too thin clothing

3. Wear sunglasses to prevent powder paste from getting into your eyes

4. Dive headfirst into the festivities without holding back！

Also, when you get hit by an ice-cold water gun or have white powder smeared on your hair or ears, don’t get angry—just give the other person a friendly “good one!” look and happily accept this playful Thai-style blessing.