For many visitors to Thailand, the Songkran festival is all about splashing water and having fun, but the origins of Songkran have a much deeper traditional meaning, which we’ll briefly outline in this blog. For many Thai people, the morning of the main day of Songkran starts with merit making, this could be by either visiting local temples or offering food to local monks. Also known as the Water Festival, water plays a symbolic part in the traditional way of celebrating Songkran. Pouring water on statues of Buddha and also on the young and elderly in a community is also practiced widely as is paying tribute to ancestors. Some people also wear traditional clothing as a mark of respect, this is more noticeable outside of the main urban areas and common in traditional Thai villages and locations where there are notable temples.
Aside from the religious aspect of Songkran, many Thai people use this national holiday to connect or reconnect with their family, many of whom work away in other parts of the country and even other parts of the world. In the days leading up to Songkran, the roads are thick with traffic with bus tickets and flights virtually all booked up. If you are planning a trip to Bangkok this Songkran and would like to experience the more traditional side of the festival, Centre Point hotels have a number of Songkran-themed events which may be of interest. Please contact your preferred Centre Point hotel for more information.
