A celebration widely considered the biggest water fight of the year is underway in Thailand and neighboring countries. Songkran, the national holiday for Thai New Year, kicked off Saturday. Crowds of people dressed in bright floral clothes gathered in cities across Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar in addition to Thailand. They were splashing, spraying and otherwise soaking one another in celebration. Even elephants got into the act, sending vast sprays of water with their trunks over the gathered crowds. The water fights grew out of a traditional ritual of pouring water over statues of Buddha–a symbolic means of washing away bad luck from the previous year. The festivities end Monday.<doc-sep>PLEASE NOTE: Some of these scheduled activities may change or be altered due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Songkran Festival is an event where an all-out water battle and ancient traditions somehow blend in annual celebration. It’s unlike anything else in the world. And it’s wet. Venturing out onto Thailand’s streets on April 13 is an open invitation to have a bucket of water thrown at you or a loaded water super-soaker unloaded in your direction. From the wet and wild to the gentle and traditional, you WILL get wet. For tourists, the event offers a huge water party breaking out in the streets of Thailand’s towns and villages. For locals, it is a time when they can spend moments with their families and visit temples to make merit – and then get involved in the water fights as well. Songkran is celebrated around Thailand but some of the larger, (slightly organised) water fights and fun are held in the major tourist magnets around the country, notably Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Pattaya and the popular tourist islands. Chiang Mai gets a special notoriety for keeping the water fight going for up to three or four days. This Songkran 2020 the Tourism Authority of Thailand is organising celebrations in three emerging tourist destinations – Tak, Mukdahan and Ranong – and is supporting activities in eight other provinces (Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Ayutthaya, Phuket and Songkhla). Songkran in Tak, Mukdahan and Ranong Amazing Songkran 2020 @ Tak Scheduled from April 12-14 at Wat Thai Wattanaram and Naresuan Maharaj Stadium in Mae Sot district, the event celebrates the time-honoured traditions of the Thai Yai ethnic group and the Thai people, with traditional activities including purifying a Buddha image, sand pagoda building and a colourful parade. Other activities are cultural and music performances, a water tunnel display, a folk village, a food fair and local art and craft workshops. Muk-Savan Fun & Fin Festival 2020, Mukdahan Taking place from April 12-16 at Hat Manopirom, Wan Yai district, the event is focused on the theme of ‘Cool Isan’ with a water tunnel and displays, an umbrella tunnel, and a five-region sand pagoda zone as well as a ‘Sand Art Contest.’ The opening ceremony and stage performance is scheduled on April 13. Mineral Water and Songkran Festival 2020, Ranong Taking place from April 13-15 at the multi-purpose ground in front of the Mueang Ranong Municipal Office, the event places emphasis on Ranong’s unique local culture with a colourful twist. Highlights include a traditional Songkran parade, an exhibition on the 12 Zodiac signs, and a food fair with 20 booths of rare indigenous food items. There’s an LED-decorated water tunnel display to welcome visitors to various other activities unique to the area including cooking shows, traditional dances, and music performances. Songkran in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Ayutthaya, Phuket and Songkhla Songkran in Bangkok Songkran Wisutkasat (April 13-15) on Wisutkasat Road, Under the Rama VIII Bridge. This year marks the 77 th anniversary of Songkran Wisutkasat, best known for being the origin of the Miss Songkran Beauty contest in Thailand, with several other cultural activities, including merit making, purifying Buddha image, paying respect to the elders, and a colourful parade. One special activity for this year is free entry to the Bank of Thailand Museum (Bangkhunprom Palace). (April 13-15) on Wisutkasat Road, Under the Rama VIII Bridge. This year marks the 77 anniversary of Songkran Wisutkasat, best known for being the origin of the Miss Songkran Beauty contest in Thailand, with several other cultural activities, including merit making, purifying Buddha image, paying respect to the elders, and a colourful parade. One special activity for this year is free entry to the Bank of Thailand Museum (Bangkhunprom Palace). Songkran Siam Square (April 13-15). This year’s event promotes “Pha Khao Ma” (Thai men’s multi-purpose loincloth) and a ‘safe Songkran’ theme, with cultural activities including purifying Buddha images from four ASEAN countries, cultural and music performances, folk market and water-based fun. Tourists and locals are encouraged to celebrate the festival without chalk powder (din sor pong), alcoholic drinks or wearing revealing clothes. Songkran Phra Pradaeng 2020 (April 19-21) at the Phra Pradaeng City Hall. Phra Pradaeng is where the local people observe Mon ceremonies in a traditional way, and their New Year traditions are very different to those found in the rest of Thailand. For a start, the celebrations here take place a little later, and feature a range of cultural activities including a spectacular floral procession, a parade of the local Mon people in their colourful traditional outfits, a Miss Songkran parade and Mister and Miss Songkran Beauty Contest. Visitors will also have the chance to join merit-making activities in the local temples, pay respect to community elders and enjoy folk plays and cultural performances. Sukhothai Songkran 2020 Thai Puan’s Elephant Ordination Tradition, Ban Hat Siew (April 7) at Wat Hat Siew in Si Satchanalai district. Held annually for over 175 years, this is an ancient ordination ceremony that all local men must become monks for at least seven days and every year, the ordinations take place on this date. The men prepared in the traditional way are taken to the temples on elephants while wearing local headgear. This ritual is based upon the tale of “Phra Vessandara Chadok” one of the Lord Buddha’s former incarnations. Most of the men leave the temples on Songkran day on April 15 to enjoy New Year with their families. (April 7) at Wat Hat Siew in Si Satchanalai district. Held annually for over 175 years, this is an ancient ordination ceremony that all local men must become monks for at least seven days and every year, the ordinations take place on this date. The men prepared in the traditional way are taken to the temples on elephants while wearing local headgear. This ritual is based upon the tale of “Phra Vessandara Chadok” one of the Lord Buddha’s former incarnations. Most of the men leave the temples on Songkran day on April 15 to enjoy New Year with their families. Song Nam – Oi Tan Ceremony, Songkran Si Satchanalai (April 8-12) at the Monument of Phra Mahathammaracha I (Lithai) in Si Satchanalai district. Oi Tan, is a phrase that means to make a donation and relates to the good morals of the people of Sukhothai. The highlight is a procession to pay respects to Phra Maha Thammaracha I, who was king of Sukhothai from 1347 to 1368. Other highlights include cultural parades from the 10 local communities, Lady Oi Tan beauty competition, a food fair and music performance. (April 8-12) at the Monument of Phra Mahathammaracha I (Lithai) in Si Satchanalai district. Oi Tan, is a phrase that means to make a donation and relates to the good morals of the people of Sukhothai. The highlight is a procession to pay respects to Phra Maha Thammaracha I, who was king of Sukhothai from 1347 to 1368. Other highlights include cultural parades from the 10 local communities, Lady Oi Tan beauty competition, a food fair and music performance. Songkran and Sawankhalok Food Festival (April 11-15) at the Public Health Park in Sawankhalok district. Here visitors can Song Nam Phraor purifying the three highly-revered Buddha images from the three most important temples of the district, including Wat Sawang Arom Worawihan, Wat Sankaram, and Wat Klong Krajong. Other highlights are a local food fair and a chance to ‘check-in’ at the newly-created ‘Pop Culture’ street art created by famous ASEAN artists. (April 11-15) at the Public Health Park in Sawankhalok district. Here visitors can Song Nam Phraor purifying the three highly-revered Buddha images from the three most important temples of the district, including Wat Sawang Arom Worawihan, Wat Sankaram, and Wat Klong Krajong. Other highlights are a local food fair and a chance to ‘check-in’ at the newly-created ‘Pop Culture’ street art created by famous ASEAN artists. Retro Songkran Splendours, Sukhothai (April 12-14) at Sukhothai Historical Park. Celebrating the ancient city’s status as the cradle of Thai civilization, visitors can embrace the old-style features of the event with traditional costumes and age-old games, parades and merit making.<doc-sep>Many people can be seen in bright floral clothes as they take part in the celebrations. In this image (below) a young boy sits on a person's shoulders as he is sprayed with water.<doc-sep>
Thai authorities said Wednesday that they will prosecute social media users who share pictures and videos of “indecently dressed” women and transgender individuals during the country’s Songkran celebrations this weekend. The Bangkok Post reports that those found guilty could face a maximum of five years in jail, a fine of more than $3,000, or both. People seen acting inappropriately in pictures and videos have been warned that they could also face charges of committing obscene acts in public. Thailand’s traditional New Year, known as Songkran, is commonly celebrated with what is known as the world’s biggest water fight. The three-day-long holiday is marked by revelers splashing water over each other. The warnings over photo sharing come just days after organizers of the annual Songkran party on Bangkok’s Khao San Road announced that the celebrations were being canceled this year to make way for the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The party at the famed tourist strip normally draws large throngs of travelers and locals alike, with establishments providing provide vats of water and an assortment of water guns and buckets for their use. Although many people commemorate the festival with water fights, Songkran, has a more subdued, spiritual side with devout Thais visiting temples to pour water over Buddha statues, and over the hands of the elderly, as a ritual of blessing and purification. Siriwat Dipho, the deputy commander of the police’s Technology Crime Suppression Division, told the Bangkok Post that pictures of scantily-clad party-goers were not in keeping with “good Songkran tradition.” Officers are also enforcing laws to curb traffic violations, including drink driving, which claims annually hundreds of lives during the festive period. In 2018, there were 418 traffic-related deaths during Songkran, up from 390 in 2017, according to the country’s Road Safety Center. Write to Hillary Leung at hillary.leung@time.com.