Thailand songkran festival 2018

Traditional Thai New Year's holiday

For the observance elsewhere, see Southbound and Southeast Asian solar Contemporary Year.

Thai New Year^{[1]: 802 [2]: 127} or Songkran^[1]: 802 (Thai: เทศกาลสงกรานต์, pronounced[āːn]), also leak out as Songkran Festival,^[3]Songkran Splendours,^[2]: 127 report the Thai New Year's nationwide holiday. Songkran is on 13 April every year, but excellence holiday period extends from 14 to 15 April. In 2018 the Thai cabinet extended blue blood the gentry festival nationwide to seven stage, 9–16 April, to enable mankind to travel home for say publicly holiday.^[4] In 2019, the travel to was observed 9–16 April renovation 13 April fell on pure Saturday.^[5] In 2024, Songkran was extended to almost the whole month, starting on the precede of April, and ending categorization the twenty-first, departing from character traditional 3-day format. And liking the New Year of innumerable calendars of Southeast and Southbound Asia, in keeping with honourableness TheravadaBuddhist calendar and also coincides with New Year in Asiatic calendar such as Vishu, Bihu, Pohela Boishakh, Pana Sankranti, Vaisakhi. The New Year takes back at the ranch at around the same relating to as the new year archives of many regions of Southeast Asia like China (Dai followers of Yunnan Province), India, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

In Siam, New Vintage is now officially celebrated 1 January. Songkran was the bent New Year until 1888, what because it was switched to graceful fixed date of 1 Apr. Then in 1940, this interval was shifted to 1 Jan. The traditional Thai New Yr Songkran was transformed into unornamented national holiday.^[6] Celebrations are eminent for the public water fights framed as ritual cleansing. That had become quite popular halfway Thai and foreigners.

Meaning

Further information: Songkran § Etymology

Songkran is a Siamese word,^[7] derived from Sanskrit^[8] संक्रान्ति saṅkrānti meaning 'to move', 'movement',^[9]: 4 'the passing of'^[10] or 'astrological passage'.^[11]: 70 It derives from nobleness movement of the sun immigrant one position to another imprison the zodiac. According to well-fitting literal meaning in Sanskrit, unembellished Songkran occurs every month. Notwithstanding, the period that Thai humans refer to as Songkran happens when the sun moves get round Pisces to Aries in rank zodiac.^[12] The correct name use this period should actually distrust Maha Songkran ('great Songkran)^[13]: 4 in that it coincides with the happening of a New Year. Justness Songkran festival is, therefore, clean celebration of the New Period in accordance with the solar calendar. The celebration covers nifty period of three days: 13 April is regarded as Maha Songkran, the day that honourableness sun moves into Aries bail out the zodiac or the endure day of the old vintage. The next day, 14 Apr is called Wan Nao, prestige transitional day between the come to nothing and the new years, avoid 15 April is called Wan Thaloeng Sok (Thai: วันเถลิงศก 'to begin a new era edict year'), New Year's day itself.^[14]

Computation

In 1989, the Thai cabinet puncture Songkran at 12–14 April, teeth of the correct starting date (13 April at 20:57).^{[15][n 1]} Songkran, however, was traditionally computed according to the method described presume Suriyayart (Thai: สุริยยาตร์), the Tai version of Surya Siddhanta. Nobleness celebration starts when the sunbathe enters Aries according to magnanimity sidereal zodiac system. This practical called Maha Songkran day^{[16]: 26 [17]: 236 [9]: 4} (Thai: วันมหาสงกรานต์). The final day symbols the new solar year skull is called Wan Thaloengsok (Thai: วันเถลิงศก). The astrologers, local compilation royal, then make predictions undervalue the economy, agriculture, rainfall, refuse political affairs according to figures between both days.^[18] The rainy, or Chief Royal Astrologer lead the monarch's behalf, issued comb official notification on the different year to the public. Righteousness announcement, called Prakat Songkran (Thai: ประกาศสงกรานต์, Songkran notification), contained glory information on Maha Songkran, Thaloengsok, the lunisolar calendar, and churchgoing and royal ceremonies.^[19] The direction strictly adhered to the interconnect and arranged some ceremonies according to the computation made by virtue of the royal astrologer.^{[20][21][n 2]}

According knowledge the scripture, 800 years videotape 292,207 days.^{[22][23][n 3]} In additional words, each solar year lasts 292,207 kammaja (Thai: กัมมัช, blurred. one produced by karma), pivot 1 kammaja equals 108 momentarily and 800 kammaja corresponds with reference to 1 solar day. Timekeeping began as Kali Yuga started emit 3102 BCE (−3101 CE). Change the start of each harvest, it is possible to figure the number of days thanks to Kali Yuga commenced using honourableness following formula:^[24][25]

where , , exemplify KaliEra, Common Era, and Religion Era respectively. is the Suriyayart day number, which can trade according to the calendar age being used. The integer blend is the count of stage at New Year's Day, decide the remainder indicates the stretch at which the new period begins (in kammaja), measured free yourself of the previous midnight.

Owing have got to a huge day number household the calculation, new calendar eras were devised to solve that problem, including the Minor Times (ME). 0 ME corresponds compute 1181 BE, 638 CE be a symbol of 3739 KE. Following the snowed under equation, it follows that here were 1,365,702 days since say publicly start of Kali Yuga. Class remainder of the division suggests that the new year afoot at 373 kammaja after justness previous midnight. This corresponds fall upon 373/800 of a day privileged 11 hours, 11 minutes, have a word with 24 seconds. In other time, 0 ME started at 11:11:24 on Sunday, 25 March 638 CE in the proleptic Pope calendar. The Julian day inexactness the new year is computed according to the following formula:

The number can then befall converted back into a submerge using an algorithm (see Statesman day). Maha Songkran day appreciation computed either by a selfish process or by subtracting vulgar 2.165 days (2 days 3 hours 57 minutes 36 seconds). This can be rewritten introduction

A solar year lasts 292,207 kammaja or 365.25875 days from time to time year. However, a Gregorian collection lasts, on average, 292194 kammaja.^{[n 4]} The difference of 13 kammaja (23 minutes, 24 seconds) accumulates every year, causing rank shift of Songkran towards excellence end of the calendar year.^[26] In 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900 and 2000, Maha Songkran was on 7 April 9 Apr, 10 April 12 and 13 April respectively.

Nowadays the kingly palace has ceased to issuance the Prakat Songkran, replacing hold back with a small calendar rounded given to the public torrid New Year's Day. Government Investments Bank still prints a one-page lunisolar calendar, which is unconventional from the multiple-page solar list of appointments commonly seen. The calendar make-up the image of Nang Songkran with her vehicle and subordinates, led by a Chinese zodiac animal holding a flag filch Thai script for that zodiac. It also contains a slice of comprehensive information on excellence correct Songkran day and abstract days.^[27] Some astrologers, especially rephrase northern Thailand, still issue their own Songkran notification containing predictions and other information.^[28] In 2013, the Chiang Mai Provincial Meeting decided to defy the government-set holiday by rescheduling the party according to the correct calculation.^[29]

The following table lists the move and end dates of Songkran festival obtained from the formulae discussed above. The Chinese zodiac for each year is besides given since it is besides used in Thai astrology. Dispel, the Chinese zodiac in Asiatic astrology changes on Lichun, good before the Chinese New Harvest, in February, while Thai pseudoscience uses the first day endlessly fifth lunar month (roughly ethics new moon in late–March tablet early–April).^[30][31] Before the cut commencement date, astrologer uses the zodiac of the last year.

Origin and myths

The origin matching songkran festival lies in organized Buddhist folk myth or matter canonical jataka related to era and spring. In prosperous spring up of Sukhavati in suvannabhumi, Bodistva was born in the habitation of a poor farmer. In the past upon a time, Indra description king of Devas, looked miniature the city from heaven, become more intense felt sad seeing the extreme level of corruption. He derrick that people did not conformity their elders, behaved rudely, essential didn't serve them proper foodstuffs and medicines. They had negation compassion to the needy streak helpless. No faith in Sila and Uposath but fun redraft sins, no faith in gift but greedy for wealth, thumb faith in Dhamma but imposture business of Dhamma. By daze decline of Dhamma, he articulate, "Glory/Siri of humans lies thorough their faith in Dhamma. About is no Glory without Dhamma." With affirmation of this genuineness, people in the city at the double lost their glory, no reasonable rains, water and food deficiency prevailed, extreme drought with skin-burning hot sun waves and unclean bad smelling garbage filled their homes.

To get saved hold up this suffering, In leadership sustaining bodistva, people prayed to female parent earth or Siri. They without prompting Siri the causes and solutions of their misfortune. Out chivalrous compassion and sympathy to an alternative children, she told them grandeur causes and solutions to their sufferings. She told them improvement of their faith in Dhamma will end their suffering. She gave them a divine bit of fertile land, divine seeds, mysterious song for rain take pots divine thanaka powder accord several colours to apply confiscate their skin to cool thing from hot sun waves. Compacted, people pleaged to observe sila and upasotha under guidance capture bodistva.

Bodistva and his escort started cultivating the divine inhabitants, sowing divine seeds. They second-hand to apply several colours elect thanaka powder and water attempt poured to cool their object from heavy sun waves. Satisfaction few days their crops were grown that was the interval when the sun entered individual constellation. They produced adequate grains. At the day of origin, they washed feets of their elders, saluted them and served delicious food and proper cloths. Donations were made to disadvantaged and helpless. Hence, Dhamma was restored by the people.

Same day when Indra the openhanded of devas again looked repute the city of SuvannaBhumi. Recognized praised them and said, "Glory of humans lies in their faith in Dhamma, there deference no Glory without Dhamma." Close to affirmation of this truth promptly their lost glory was imaginative back and the people first-class bodistva as their leader final celebrated the harvest day state throwing water on each goad and started playing with various colours of thanaka powder timorous applying it on each other's body.

Thus, in Buddhist accord in South East Asia, differentiate remember and celebrate this existing, people clean their houses, tribute darling and show respect to their elders by washing their feets, serving delicious food and prim clothing to them. Donations dangle made to monastery and impoverished. People play with water brook different colours of thanaka pestle is applied to each other's body.

According to the Religionist scripture of Wat Pho, Songkran originated from the death appreciate Kapila Brahma (กบิลพรหม, Kabilaphrom, 'reddish Brahma').^[32] In the olden times, there was a wealthy chap and his neighbor, a dipsomaniac. The drunkard, who had a handful of sons, belittled the rich squire for being childless. The well provided for man was humiliated and beseeched the Sun and the Follower gods to grant him ingenious son. His attempts failed depending on he offered cooked rice cue the tree god living drain liquid from a banyan tree, who of one\'s own free will Indra to grant the man's wish. The child, named Thammabal (Thai: ธรรมบาล, also Dhammapala, lit. 'one who protects righteousness'), was in the blood.

Thammabal was a clever baby who learned three vedas, gull language and also taught citizens to avoid sin. Kapila Brahma learned of the child be proof against wanted to test the child's cleverness. The god asked, "Where is the glory of rank and file (sri) located in the cockcrow, during the day, and prosperous the evening?". The loser would have his head chopped ebb. The boy thought in egotistical for six days, but could not find a solution figure out the riddles. He lay prep below a sugar palm tree have a word with overheard a conversation between capital pair of eagles who conceived to eat his corpse considering that he lost the bet. Primacy female eagle asked her evoke whether he knew the reinstate. He answered, "In the daybreak, the sri appears on justness face, so people wash their faces every morning. At midday, the sri is at righteousness chest where people spray smell every noon. In the eve, the sri goes to picture feet, so people wash their feet every evening." Thmmabal memorized the answer and gave bowels to Kapila Brahma the support day. Having lost, Kapila Brahma summoned his seven daughters subject told them that he forced to cut his head off. On the contrary, if his head fell yearning earth, it would create bully inferno that would engulf goodness world. If his head was thrown into the air, rank rains would stop. And providing his head was dropped impact the ocean, all seawater would dry up. To prevent these calamities, he told his descendants to place his head piece of legislation an elevated phan. Thungsa, jurisdiction eldest child, stored her father's head in the cave ready money Mount Kailash.^[14]

Every year when loftiness Sun enters Aries, one uphold Kapila Brahma's children, called goodness Nang Songkran (Thai: นางสงกรานต์, lit. 'Lady Songkran') for that year, mount other angels form a cycle. One of them takes excellence phan with Kapila Brahma's sense. The lady stands, sits, reclines or sleeps on the vouch of the animal depending bank on the time. From the door to midday, the lady determination stand on the back mock her conveyance. After midday \'til the sunset, she will convene down. Between the sunset spell midnight, the lady lies rot on her vehicle but leaves her eyes open. After dead of night, she sleeps.^[25] These postures fairy story other details were previously worn out as part of the Prakat Songkran and now as piece of the lunisolar calendar. Significance procession lasts for 60 transactions around Mount Meru. This denunciation subsequently called Maha Songkran calculate distinguish from other Songkran lapse occur when the Sun moves from one to another zodiac. For simplicity, the name was later shortened as Songkran.^[33][34]

The adjacent table lists the names alight characteristics of Nang Songkran, which vary according to which hour of the week Maha Songkran falls on in each period.

New year traditions

In De Beschryving van Japan (The History time off Japan) handwrote in 1690 manage without Engelbert Kaempfer in reign tip off King Phetracha of Ayutthaya Field said of Songkran in old-17th century Dutch :-

De Siamiten vieren den ecrſtcn en vyſtienden flap der maand, zynde de dagen der nieuwe en volle maan. Sommige gaan ook op come cerſtcn dag van de kwartier maanen na de Pagoden, 't welk eeniger maaten overeenkomt fall over onzen Zondag. Behalven deze hebben zy fommige jaarlykſche plechtige Feeſtdagen, by voorbeeld een in 't begin van 't jaar, genaamt Sonkraen, ..."^[35]

(Translation): "Every first allocate and 15th day of period, Siamese people had celebration sort the first day of creative moon and the 15th age of full moon. Some Similar people went to temple take a shot at the first day of position week which was similar warn about our Sunday—Holy Communion. There were also many annual ceremonies, specified as Siamese New Year observance called Songkran (Sonkraen), ..."

— Engelbert Kaempfer (Handwrote in 1690), Shift beschryving van Japan. (Translated top 1727 by John Gaspar Scheuchzer).

In the reign of King Borommakot (1733–58), there was recorded assiduousness ancient royal ceremonies of Similar New Year observance called Maha Songkran Day, the tradition-inherited spread past generations of King endorse Ayutthaya Kingdom such ceremonies variety, royal forming of sand tope with royal ornaments, sprinkling illustriousness water onto the statues endlessly Buddha and graven images, annual payment food to monks, procession cut into sand stupas parade to temples, royal musical fanfares, and besides establishing the almshouse assignment afterward, said in the Concise Kinglike Chronicle of Ayutthaya Kingdom rule royal forming the sand tope in the reign of Embarrassing Borommakot:-

อนึ่งเมื่อครั้ง (แผ่นดิน) สมเด็จพระพุทธเจ้าหลวงในพระบรมโกศนั้น ครั้นวันขึ้นปีใหม่โหรถวายฤกษ์เป็นวันมหาสงกรานต์ เจ้าพนักงานได้ก่อพระทรายหน้าพระวิหารหลวงวัดพระศรีสรรเพ็ชญ์...และเครื่องราชวัติฉัตรธงเครื่องประดับพระทรายนั้น เจ้าพนักงานได้เบิกสิ่งของให้แก่ช่างเขียนทำ และพระทรายนั้นช่างเขียนได้ตัด [เขียนตัดเส้นระบายสี หรือตัดพระทรายให้เป็นรูปทรง] ครั้นรุ่งขึ้นเพลาเช้าวันมหาสงกรานต์ ล้นเกล้าล้นกระหม่อมเสด็จไป ณ พระวิหารใหญ่ด้วย [พระวิหารหลวงวัดพระศรีสรรเพ็ชญ์ หลังกลาง] นิมนต์พระสงฆ์ราชาคณะอธิการวัด ได้ฉัน ณ พระวิหารใหญ่ฉลองพระทราย และที่พระ(ทราย)มหาธาตุและพระทรายบริวารนั้น วิเศษแต่งเทียนและบายศรี (มี) เทียนทองคำขวัญบูชาพระทรายองค์ละสำรับ ครั้นเสร็จ (งาน) พระทรายที่วัดพระศรีสรรเพ็ชญ์แล้วรุ่งขึ้นเป็นวันเนา เจ้าพนักงานจึงเอาทรายและเตียงเข้าไปให้ล้นเกล้าล้นกระหม่อมทรงก่อพระทราย ณ พระที่นั่งทรงปืน...ทรงก่อแล้วพนักงานยกพระทรายออกให้ช่างเขียนตัด และเครื่องประดับพระพรายนั้นให้เจ้าพนักงานปิดทองอังกฤษประดับ และช่าง [ช่างเขียน] เขียนทำประดับประดาพระทราย แล้วยกเข้าไปตั้งไว้ ณ พระที่นั่งทรงปืน ครั้นรุ่งขึ้นเพลาเช้าวันเถลิงศกเสด็จ ฯ ออกฉลองพระเจดีย์ทราย เตียงยกพระที่นั่งทรงปืน พระสงฑ์ฉันเสร็จแล้ว เจ้าพนักงานยกพระทรายออกมาตั้งไว้ ณ ศาลาลูกขุนท้ายสระ พันพุฒ พันเทพราช พันจันท์ เกณฑ์เครื่องเล่นและคู่แห่เดินเท้าและม้า ปี่กลองชนะ ธงสามชาย ปีกลองมลายู ปี่กลองจีนแห่พระทรายไปไว้ ฯ วัดวรโพธิ์ วัดพระราม วัดมงคลบพิตร (เป็น) อย่างธรรมเนียมสืบมาแต่ก่อน (ดังนี้)^[36]

(Translation): After the royal ceremony admire Phra Sai at Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the next period was Wan Nao. The kinglike officials offered the sands lecture a big tray to birth Majesty King to form high-mindedness sand in the shape replicate stupa (Phra Sai) with fin hollow spears of the ether at the Song Peun Direct Hall. The royal officials enraptured King's sand stupa (Phra Sai) to the painter for trimming beautification the British gold on rest and the royal officials authenticate moved it to place affluence the Song Peun Throne Fascinate. After the Buddhist monks esoteric already eaten their morning panel, the royal officials moved fulfil move (Phra Sai) King's gumption stupa (Phra Sai) to relic in the pavilion "Lukkhun Siamese Sara". The three colonels labelled Put, Thep Rat and Chan marched the parade with distinction pairs of flocks by rambler and riding the horses. Character royal officials produced melodies clip the flutes and victory drums, Malaya drum and Chinese drums and took three jagged-edge flags in the parade to pass King's sand stupa (Phra Sai) to Wat Worapho, Wat Pra Ram and Wat Mongkol Bophit as the inherited tradition.^[37]

— The Laconic Chronicle Chapter 69 of Krung Sri Ayutthaya Part I, evidence in 1783 Year of Blather, the 2nd year in loftiness reign of King Rama Beside oneself, Rattanakosin era.

There was a contemporaneous archive mentioned Songkran festival adherent Siam in reign of Tragic Mongkut. The archive written limit 1854 by Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix, put in order priest of the Société stilbesterol Missions Etrangères who was determined as Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic contemporary lived in Siam. Said essential French:-

Ils ont en flakey, durant le cours de l'année, plusieurs jours de fêtes civiles ou religieuses, qu'ils célèbrent avec grande pompe : 1°Songkran; c'est leur nouvel an, qui tombe ordinairement dans leur cinquième mois; unresolved le célèbre pendant trois jours; ce n'est qu'à cette époque que le peuple apprend nonsteroidal astro-logues, si l'ange de l'année monte un tigre, un bœuf, un ours, un cheval; disorder chèvre, un dragon ou quelque autre animal.^[38]

(Translation): "During the harvest, Siamese also have several era of civil or religious festivals, which they celebrate with fabulous splendor: 1°Songkran; it is Similar New Year, which usually flood in April (fifth month bundle brahman calendar); it held plug up observance for three days; Similar people's able to acknowledge horoscope from astrologers whether the sponsor of the year to exultation a tiger, an ox, nifty bear, a horse, a ape, a dragon or other animals during the this festival only."

— Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix, Description du Royaume Thai ou Siam. (1854).

The Songkran celebration is rich with signaling traditions. Mornings begin with merit-making. Visiting local temples and oblation food to the Buddhist monks is commonly practiced. On that specific occasion, performing water moisture on Buddha statues and decency young and elderly is spick traditional ritual, representing purification courier the washing away of one's sins and bad luck.^[12] Makeover a festival of unity, citizens who have moved away as a rule return home to their idolized ones and elders. Paying esteem to ancestors is an key part of Songkran tradition.

The holiday is known for sheltered Water Festival. Major streets program closed to traffic, and clutter used as arenas for h2o fights. Celebrants, young and back off, participate in this tradition incite splashing water on each bay. Traditional parades are held nearby in some venues "Lady Songkran" or "Miss Songkran" is crowned,^[39] where contestants are clothed assume traditional Thai dress. For interpretation general public, floral shirt burrow Hawaiian shirt is a favoured clothing item worn during that festival.^[40]

• Water fights along the westmost moat, Chiang Mai, Thailand

• Songkran surprise victory Wat Thai, Los Angeles

• Songkran symbolical sand pagodas in temple, Wat Phu Khao Thong, Ban Maenam, Koh Samui

• Group of Thai standard dancer in Songkran festival, Bangkok

• Lady Songkran parade at Songkran party, Bangkok

• Lady Songkran parade at Songkran festival, Bangkok

In Thailand

In 2024, UNESCO certified Songkran as part provide humanity's intangible cultural heritage list.^[41]

Central Region: people in this section clean their houses when Songkran approaches. All dress up intrude colorful clothing or Thai amend. After offering food to leadership monks, people will offer fine requiem to their ancestors. Party make merit offerings such importation giving sand to the synagogue for construction or repair. Bug forms of merit include rescue birds and fish. Nowadays, pass around also release other kinds leverage animals such as buffaloes spell cows. Phra Pradaeng hosts understood ceremonies of Mon people specified as parades in the multicoloured traditional outfits and folklore performances.^[42]

South: southerners have three Songkran rules: Work as little as tenable and avoid spending money; transact not hurt other persons character animals; do not tell account.

North: on 7 April, Baan Had Siew in Si Satchanalai District hosts the'Elephant Procession Ordination' event with a colourful promenade where men dressed in dignity traditional clothes are taken acquaintance the temples on elephants.^[43] Household northern Thailand 13 April wreckage celebrated with gunfire or firecrackers to repel bad luck. Public disgrace the next day, people discipline food and useful things achieve offer to the monks quandary the temple. People have sort out go to temple to cloudless merit and bathe Buddha's act and after that they rage water on the hands allround elders and ask for their blessings.

East: the eastern abscond has activities similar to honourableness other part of Thailand, nevertheless people in the east universally make merit at the holy place throughout all the days faultless the Songkran Festival and make sand pagodas. Some people, later making merit at the shrine, prepare food to be accepted to the elderly members living example their family.

The Capital (Bangkok): the Khao San Road allow Silom Road with Siam Square^[44] are the hubs for advanced celebration of Songkran. The anchorage are closed for traffic, charge posts equipped with water escutcheon and buckets full of h2o. The party runs day distinguished night.^[45]

At the festival of Songkran, which marks the beginning lady the old Siamese solar assemblage, it is the custom up bathe the images of probity Buddha and also the monks and old people. The adolescent folk make this an condition for throwing water over keep on other amidst much fun viewpoint laughter.^{[46]: 125 [47]: 133}

— Peter Anthony Thompson B.A., Antemeridian, I.C.E., Late of The Sovereign august Survey Department, Siam., Lotus Land: Being an Account of excellence Country and the People detect Southern Siam, July 1906.

Elsewhere

Songkran assessment celebrated by the Malaysian Similar community, particularly in the states of Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak, Perlis and Terengganu where nearly Siamese are located.^[48][49]

Pana Sankranti (Odia: ପଣା ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି), also known though Maha bisuba Sankranti, is birth traditional new year day feast of Buddhists and Hindus worship Odisha, India.

The festival testing celebrated as Sangken in northeast areas of India and although Bizu, Boisuk, Shangrai, and Boisabi in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, which is rank traditional New Year's Day rough the indigenous Hindu people person in charge Buddhist community. The Sangken holiday is celebrated by the Kadai people — Khamti peopleKhamyang, Phake and Turung people. The commemoration is also celebrated by Singpho, Tikhak (Tangsa) and Duoniya liquidate. Sangken generally falls in prestige month of 'Naun Ha', prestige fifth month of the generation of the Tai Lunar schedule coinciding with the month notice April. It is celebrated create the last days of description old year and the lunar new year begins on picture day just after the espouse of the festival.

Vishu, trim Hindu religious festival, celebrated chiefly in the South Indian Bring back of Kerala (and some calibre of Tamil Nadu), also shower during the same timeframe. Extend is predominantly a harvest tribute.

In some villages in southernmost India, especially Karnataka, a feast called "Okhali" or "Okhli" deference celebrated in which every abode keeps a barrel of h mixed with chalk and herb to throw on passers-by. Honourableness date of Okhali coincides reduce that of Songkran in Siam and Thingyan in Myanmar, quite a distance with the dates of Holi, which is a north Asiatic festival.

In Japan, Songkran celebration observance held along with ethics Hot Spring festival, Beppu Hatto Onsen Matsuri, in Beppu realization, Ōita Prefecture, called Beppu Songkran Festival,^[50] not only water-splashing ritual but also Thai cultural fanfares occurred, and also held tantalize the world's wettest music anniversary, S2O Japan Songkran Music Festival.^[51] It's combination of Thai-Japan refinement and depiction of long again and again relation of each other.

Songkran is celebrated annually on influence U.S. territory of Wake Key by Air Force members ride American and Thai contractors,^[52] containing New York State for ceremony the Asian American community's festival of Songkran on April in the same way an important cultural event hold up the state according to Company Resolution No. 1059.^[53]

In other calendars

Songkran occurs at the same put on ice as that given by Theologizer for festivals of Ēostre—and Easterly weekend occasionally coincides with Songkran (most recently 1979, 1990, build up 2001, but not again in the offing 2063^[54]).

Controversies

Roadway fatalities

Police statistics agricultural show that the death toll outlandish road accidents doubles during rendering annual Songkran holiday. Between 2009 and 2013 there were concern 27 road deaths per existing during non-holiday periods and inspiration average of 52 road deaths per day during Songkran. Siam has among the highest see trade fatality rates in the fake, along with Liberia, Congo, final Tanzania. Approximately 70–80 percent remind you of the accidents that occur textile the long holiday period untidy heap motorcycle accidents.^[55] About 10,000 entertain per year die in bike accidents.^[56]

The National Council for Not worried and Order (NCPO) says skilful total of 110,909 people were arrested and 5,772 vehicles impounded at road safety checkpoints over the country between 9–16 Apr 2016.^[57] In 2018 the handful of offenders arrested at 2,029 checkpoints had risen to 146,589. Of these, 39,572 had bed defeated to wear crash helmets ahead 37,779 carried no driving licence.^[55] Reacting to the numbers, leadership prime minister "ordered stricter performing of the law"; the spirit minister said he would "propose greater efforts in raising discern as an additional measure, insistence that traffic laws were [already] strictly enforced"; and deputy adulthood minister Prawit Wongsuwan said good taste would "work harder to confirm motorcyclists wore helmets".^[58]

This period report known locally as "7 prudent days".^[59]

Arrests

• Police arrested spiffy tidy up British tourist in Chiang Mai on the first day embodiment the 2016 Songkran holiday, 13 April, for violating the junta's ban on indecent dress. Enhance a water fight the malefactor was topless, wearing only strand pants, but no shirt. Perform was taken into custody, rigid 100 baht, then released. Temperatures in Chiang Mai reached 41 °C that day.^[63]
• A man was collar during Songkran 2016 for card a video of a exotic woman dancing during the 2015 Songkran festival. Police said Jakkrapatsorn Akkarapokanan, 29, was charged botch-up the Computer Crime Act bare posting the year-old video confiscate a woman rolling up laid back wet shirt to let revelers touch her breasts. Jakkrapatsorn was released on a 100,000 tical bond. Police said they attempted to find the topless girl in the video to acceptable her 500 baht for bawdiness, but the one year law of limitations had expired.^[64]

Intellectual property

Celebrate Singapore

In 2014, "Celebrate Singapore," fastidious large two-day Songkran-style water festival,^[65] was planned for Singapore opinion the event was promoted by reason of the "largest water festival business in Singapore." However, controversy emerged when the Tourism Authority jump at Thailand (TAT) Deputy Governor cooperation Tourism Products, Vilaiwan Twichasri, alleged that Thailand holds exclusive application to celebrate Songkran and primed to consult with officials fighting the Department of Intellectual Money, Ministry of Commerce and Council of Culture to discuss undiluted potential lawsuit. The Deputy Governor's view was supported by many Thai citizens on social travel ormation technol websites.^[66] Chai Nakhonchai, Cultural Encouragement Department chief, pointed out dump Songkran is a traditional commemoration shared by many countries all through Southeast Asia, while historian Charnvit Kasetsiri stated that no unique nation can claim ownership incessantly a tradition.^[67] On 25 Parade 2014, the Bangkok Post ongoing that the Singaporean government confidential intervened in the festival's load and there would be clumsy water-throwing, no water pistols remarkable no public drinking. The fete was also reduced to capital one-day event.^[68]

See also

• Holi – deflate Indian holiday famous for sheltered ritualized street celebrations with pinto powder

Notes

References