The secret to laughing even when you're drenched

 

 

◎ Photography & Text / Stephen Tsai | Collaboration / Tourism Authority of Thailand

“What? Getting a whole basin of water splashed in your face while walking down the street — not only can’t you get angry, but you’re also supposed to smile back!!!” Probably only people in Thailand have such an incredibly good temper.

In fact, that’s not the case. If you visit Thailand at a regular time and dare to splash a random passerby with a cup of water, chances are you’ll still get beaten up by everyone — remember, randomly splashing water on others is just asking for trouble. You can only go all out during special times and places. And the people who get splashed will actually thank you for your blessings too.

The Songkran Festival, locally known as the Thai New Year, is equivalent to the traditional Lunar New Year in Thailand. Other regions such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Xishuangbanna also continue to celebrate this Lunar New Year tradition.

The meaning of water-splashing isn’t just playful fun. Originally, the ritual was meant to pay respects to Buddha. In typical Thai households, it’s also an important time for family gatherings, where loved ones bless each other through a simple water-pouring ceremony. But at some point, the simple act of sprinkling water for purification evolved into full-on “water fights.” Fortunately, this is also the hottest time of year in Thailand, so most people don’t mind, and soon the streets became a giant playground for water-splashing. Just imagine — there’s probably no other place in the world where you can safely walk down the street, splash water around, and not get “retaliated” against. No wonder even foreigners love Thailand’s Songkran Festival so much.

Every year, major cities across Thailand host large-scale Songkran celebrations. In the past, Bangkok was the most lively spot, but in recent years, Chiang Mai’s Songkran Festival in northern Thailand has also gained fame. Not only is it held around the ancient ruins of Chiang Mai (there probably aren’t many events in the world that take place within historical sites), but Chiang Mai itself is also a beautiful, pleasant destination (with fresh air — even Teresa Teng loved it). Plus, Chiang Mai offers a vibrant nightlife, so you won’t be bored at night either. It’s naturally the perfect place for leisure beyond just joining the festivities.

Water fights — for all ages and genders

The Songkran Festival is open to everyone, regardless of age or gender. As long as you’re in good health, just wear light clothing and you’re good to go. The standard outfit? A T-shirt + shorts + flip-flops. Girls might want to avoid fabrics that turn see-through when wet — unless you want to… When splashing others, keep a few things in mind: don’t aim directly at people’s faces, especially innocent passersby on motorcycles — it could easily cause accidents.

Also, don’t splash too hard (you might end up hurting someone internally and get a court summons). And finally, don’t think you can stay completely dry — the moment you cross the bridge over the Mae Ping River, where the main Songkran activities are held, you’ll instantly get drenched by the “rain” falling from above (which is actually from water guns). If you’re foolish enough to try using an umbrella at that point, others might just splash you even more.