Songkran (Thailand)

Water ghts, Chiang Mai

The Songkran festival (Thai: , pronounced

[s.krn], listen) the Thai New Years festival. The Songkran at Wat Thai, Los Angeles
Thai New Years Day is 13 April every year, but the
holiday period includes 14-15 April as well. The word
Songkran comes from the Sanskrit word sakrnti
(Devangar: ),[1] literally astrological passage,
meaning transformation or change. The term was borrowed from Makar Sankranti,[2] the name of a Hindu harvest festival celebrated in India in January to mark the
arrival of spring. It coincides with the rising of Aries on
the astrological chart,[3] the New Year of many calendars
of South and Southeast Asia. The festive occasion is in
keeping with the Buddhist/Hindu solar calendar.

New year traditions

Water ghts along the west moat, Chiang Mai

The Songkran celebration is rich with symbolic traditions. Mornings begins with merit-making. Visiting local
temples and oering food to the Buddhist monks is commonly practiced. On this specic occasion, performing
water pouring on Buddha statues is considered an iconic
ritual for this holiday. It represents purication and the
washing away ones sins and bad luck.[3] As a festival of
unity, people who have moved away usually return home
to their loved ones and elders.[3] As a way to show respect, younger people often practice water pouring over
the palms of elders hands. Paying reverence to ancestors
is also an important part of Songkran tradition.
The holiday is known for its water festival which is mostly
People in a tuk-tuk getting soaked during Songkran, Chiang Mai
celebrated by young people. Major streets are closed for
trac, and are used as arenas for water ghts. Celebrants,
young and old, participate in this tradition by splashing
2 Songkran in Thailand
water on each other. Traditional parades are held and in
[4]
some venue Miss Songkran is crowned. where contestants are clothed in traditional Thai dress.
Central Region
1

DOWNSIDES

Monks receiving blessing at a temple in Ban Khung Taphao

3 Songkran elsewhere

The use of chalk (Thai: ) is also very common having

originated in the chalk used by monks to mark blessings.

People in this region clean their houses when Songkran

approaches. All dress up in colorful clothing. After oering food to the monks, the people will oer a requiem to
their ancestors. People make merit such oerings as giving sand to the temple for construction or repair. Other
forms of merit include releasing birds and sh. Nowadays, people also release other kinds of animals such as
bualoes and cows.

Songkran is celebrated as Sangken in northeastern areas

of India, as the traditional New Years Day by the Buddhist Community. The Sangken festival is celebrated
by the people of the Khampti tribe. The festival is
also celebrated by Singpho, Khamyang, Tikhaks (Tangsa)
and Phakyal community of Arunachal Pradesh, and Tai
Phake community of Assam. Sangken generally falls in
the month of 'Naun Ha', the fth month of the year of
the Khampti Lunar calendar coinciding with the month
of April. It is celebrated in the last days of the old year
and the Lunar New Year begins on the day just after the
end of the festival.

In some villages in south India, especially Karnataka, a

festival called Okhali or Okhli is celebrated in which
every household keeps a barrel of water mixed with chalk
and turmeric to throw on passers-by. The date of Okhali
coincides with that of Songkran in Thailand and Thingyan
South
in Myanmar, not with the dates of Holi, which is a north
Southerners have three Songkran rules: Work as little as Indian festival.
possible and avoid spending money; not hurt other persons or animals: not tell lies.
North

4 In other calendars

In the northern region of Thailand 13 April is always celebrated with gunre or recrackers to repel bad luck. On
the next day, people prepare food and useful things to
oer to the monks at the temple. People have to go to
temple to do merit and bathe Buddhas statue and after
that they pour water on the hands of revered elders and
ask for their blessings.

Songkran occurs at the same time as that given by Bede

for festivals of Eostreand Easter weekend occasionally
coincides with Songkran (most recently 1979, 1990, and
2001, but not again until 2085.[5] )

East

5 Downsides

The eastern region has activities similar to the other part

of Thailand, but people in the east always make merit at 5.1 Accidents
the temple throughout all the days of the Songkran FesThai people should think about what we
tival. Some people, after making merit at the temple,
want and how we want to promote the image
prepare food to be given to the elderly members of their
of our country. Do we want to be known as the
family.

3
hub of the water party with booze and a high
death toll? Or do we want to be known for
having a beautiful culture that no one else has
Prommin Kantiya, director of the Accident
Prevention Network (APN) [6]

Police statistics show that the death toll from road accidents doubles during the annual Songkran holiday. Between 2009 and 2013 there were about 27 road deaths
per day during non-holiday periods and an average of 52
road deaths per day during Songkran. Thailand has the
second-highest trac fatality rate in the world, with 44
deaths per 100,000 residents. Approximately 70 percent
of the accidents that occurred during the long holiday period were motorcycle accidents. About 10,000 people per
year die in motorcycle accidents.[6]
During the 2014 Songkran festivities, 322 deaths and
2,992 injuries occurred from 11-17 April. Drunk driving and speeding were the leading causes of accidents,
in which most involved were motorcycles and pickup
trucks.[7]
During the seven dangerous days of the Songkran festivities in 2016, from 11-17 April, 442 persons died and
3,656 were injured in road accidents, up 21.4 percent
from 2015.[8] The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) says a total of 110,909 people were arrested
and 5,772 vehicles impounded at road safety checkpoints
across the country between 9-16 April. [9]

5.2

Arrests

Police arrested a British tourist in Chiang Mai on

the rst day of the 2016 Songkran holiday, 13 April,
for violating the juntas ban on indecent dress. In a
water ght the culprit was topless, wearing only short
pants, but no shirt. He was taken into custody, ned
100 baht, then released. Temperatures in Chiang
Mai reached 41 C that day.[10]
A man was arrested during Songkran 2016 for posting a video of a topless woman dancing during the
2015 Songkran festival. Police said Jakkrapatsorn
Akkarapokanan, 29, was charged under the Computer Crime Act for posting the year-old video of
a woman rolling up her wet shirt to let revelers
touch her breasts. Jakkrapatsonr was released on a
100,000 baht bond. Police said they attempted to
nd the topless woman in the video to ne her 500
baht for indecency, but the one year statute of limitations had expired.[11]

5.3

Intellectual property

5.3.1 Celebrate Singapore

In 2014 Celebrate Singapore, a large two-day
Songkran-style water festival, was planned for Singapore
and the event was promoted as the largest water festival
party in Singapore. However, controversy emerged
when the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Deputy
Governor for Tourism Products, Vilaiwan Twichasri,
claimed that Thailand holds exclusive rights to celebrate
Songkran and planned to consult with ocials at the
Department of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Culture to discuss a potential
lawsuit. The Deputy Governors view was supported
by numerous Thai citizens on social media websites.[12]
Chai Nakhonchai, Cultural Promotion Department chief,
pointed out that Songkran is a traditional festival shared
by many countries throughout Southeast Asia, while
historian Charnvit Kasetsiri stated that no single nation
can claim ownership of a tradition.[13] On 25 March
2014, the Bangkok Post reported that the Singaporean
government had intervened in the festivals content and
there would be no water-throwing, no water pistols and
no public drinking. The festival was also reduced to a
one-day event.[14]

6 References
[1] Sakrnti, Monier Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary
[2]
[3] The magic and traditions of Thai New Year (Songkran)".
Tourism Authority of Thailand Newsroom, TAT Newsroom, Thailand Tourism News, Tourism Thailand, TAT.
Retrieved 2015-12-12.
[4] Chadchaidee, Thanapol.
D.K. TODAY CO.LTD.

Songkran Festival (PDF).

[5] Ronald M. Mallen (April 2002). Easter Dating Method.

Astronomical Society of South Australia. Archived from
the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
List of Easter Sunday Dates 20002099
[6] Lawless culture takes its toll. Bangkok Post. 11 Apr
2014. Retrieved 11 Apr 2014.
[7] Songkran Road Toll 2014. Songkran.travel. 4 August
2014. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
[8] Road toll soars to record 442 killed over Songkran.
Bangkok Post. 2016-04-18. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
[9] Songkran death toll rises to 397. Bangkok Post. 201604-17. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
[10] Rojanaphruk, Pravit (2016-04-13). Topless Farang
Fined 100 Baht in Chiang Mai. Khaosod English. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
[11] Mokkhasen, Sasiwan (2016-04-16). Man Arrested for
Posting Topless Songkran Clip From 2015. Khaosod English. Retrieved 16 April 2016.

8 FURTHER READING

[12] Suit eyed for Singapore Songkran. Bangkok Post. 18

March 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
[13] Songkran in Singapore. Bangkok Post. 19 March 2014.
Retrieved 16 April 2014.
[14] Only in Singapore: No Songkran. Bangkok Post. 25
March 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.

External links
Media related to Songkran in Thailand at Wikimedia Commons
Songkran in Bangkok The Worlds Biggest Water
Fight... EVER!, bigmango.info, retrieved 2013-0415
The Festival That Drenches You Out of Nowhere
and How to Enjoy It, airticketonsale.com, retrieved
2014-04-01
Selection of Songkran pictures, Wandererz.net, retrieved 2015-04-07

Further reading

E-books
Phraya Anuman Ratchathon (Yong Sathiankoset).
(1954). Amusements During Songkran Festival.
Journal of the Siam Society (volume 42, part 1).
pages 3943.

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

9.1

Text

Songkran (Thailand) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songkran_(Thailand)?oldid=715873462 Contributors: Mav, Heron, Olivier,

Tregoweth, Ahoerstemeier, Docu, KayEss, Adam78, Henry Flower, Utcursch, PFHLai, Klemen Kocjancic, Ratiocinate, Jimaltieri, Bender235, CanisRufus, El C, Szquirrel, Adambro, Cretog8, Reinyday, Yuje, LuoShengli, Hintha, Wiki-uk, Wtmitchell, Lerdsuwa, Angr,
Woohookitty, Grika, Anan, BD2412, Jorunn, Chirags, I Typed For Miles, Gurch, Le Anh-Huy, Chobot, Benlisquare, YurikBot, Wikky
Horse, RussBot, Ivirivi00, Manop, Welsh, Howcheng, SameerKhan, Kortoso, Asarelah, Pawyilee, Jamills, Spliy, Crystallina, SmackBot,
Khaosaming, CRKingston, Dxco, Gilliam, Hmains, Deli nk, Phexxa, Paul 012, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, Stefan2, Skinsmoke,
Dl2000, Joseph Solis in Australia, Kernow, Sinaloa, Jaksmata, GiantSnowman, Drinibot, Cydebot, Forever Anonymous, Alanbly, AshokSrinath, Omicronpersei8, Giresh, JamesAM, Thijs!bot, Marek69, Shaunb~enwiki, Straussian, WinBot, Storkk, Gkhan, Phil153, Seddon,
Wikiality123, Cyktsui, Simon Peter Hughes, MTC9, Kudpung, Bayinnaung, Naniwako, Thaimissions2006, Warut, Squids and Chips,
CardinalDan, Hybernator, Philip Trueman, TXiKiBoT, Abtinb, Arnon Chan, Haitipi, Chinsan reina, Broadbot, Nuloy, BotKung, Morpheuschongsies, Finnrind, SieBot, Umacer, 621PWC, Oxymoron83, Chobthum, Cbl62, Lightmouse, KathrynLybarger, Mateu21, Blamed,
Dalampasigan, Sitush, Sh4wz0r, ClueBot, Hytar, RitigalaJayasena, Nattika, Blanchardb, DragonBot, Takeaway, Excirial, Nytrash, Razorame, Maine12329, Muro Bot, Darkicebot, XLinkBot, Joebodia, Dthomsen8, Addbot, Michaelm 22, CanadianLinuxUser, Hat79,
Sarut, Yobot, Jean.julius, , AnomieBOT, Jim1138, Xufanc, Materialscientist, Zawer, Visarute, Timmyshin, GrouchoBot, Omnipaedista,
, RibotBOT, Jdogno5, Seligne, Praspj, Mattis, Dr. mullah, Oldlaptop321, Danxa, Mispda, Hanshuai, Olga Saly, Weedwhacker128,
Cowboyroy, Racerx11, GoingBatty, ZroBot, Ganshorn, Malakoa, Shalinith, , 28bot, Rocketrod1960, Tommy Bland, ClueBot
NG, Akuindo, Aristitleism, BG19bot, Smileverse, Kjambur, Soulparadox, Mogism, Kevin12xd, Faizan, Cneholidays, Lonjing, Kontrolcu,
Ghasira Mind P, Tiger7253, Alchemizz, Cvesboon, Sorakrisc and Anonymous: 181

9.2

Images

File:Songkran-4-KayEss-1.jpeg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Songkran-4-KayEss-1.jpeg License:

CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Songkran_002aa.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Songkran_002aa.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Contributors: Own work Original artist: Takeaway
File:Songkran_012.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Songkran_012.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Takeaway
File:Songkran_at_Wat_Thai_in_Los_Angeles,_April_2008.JPG Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/
ff/Songkran_at_Wat_Thai_in_Los_Angeles%2C_April_2008.JPG License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work (Original text:
self-made) Original artist: Cbl62 at English Wikipedia
File:Songkran_in_Wat_Kungthapao_03.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Songkran_in_Wat_
Kungthapao_03.jpg License: CC BY 3.0 Contributors: Captured by uploader. Original artist:
/ -
File:Songkran_in_Wat_Kungthapao_05.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Songkran_in_Wat_
Kungthapao_05.jpg License: CC BY 3.0 Contributors: Captured by uploader. Original artist:
/ -
File:Tuktuk_chiangmai_songkran_05b.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Tuktuk_chiangmai_
songkran_05b.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Takeaway

9.3

Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0