Thais Nationwide Celebrate Songkran Festival

[webfact]

Thais nationwide celebrate Songkran festival

BANGKOK, April 13 -- Devout Thai Buddhists joined by foreigners early Wednesday celebrated the first day of Songkran festival or Thailand’s traditional New Year by offering alms to monks and asking for blessings from elderly people.

Ten senior Buddhist monks chanted prayers at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) headquarters, City Hall, while BMA Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra led city officials in offering alms to 184 monks. BMA officials and civil servants later asked for blessings from elderly people present there.

Fun-filled activities including a light and sound as well as shows of Thai folk songs and music will be held in the evening on the BMA lawns.

In nearby Khao San Road, a favourite place for backpackers for inexpensive and comfortable accommodation, food and drink, members of the public offered breakfast to nine monks and later on poured water on a revered Buddha image as they celebrated the first of the three-day water splashing festival.

The revellers later paraded the Buddha image which they placed on a truck decorated with flowers around the area while beautiful women performed a ‘Ram Wong’, or a Thai classical dance, to the delight of local residents and foreign visitors from around the world.

Similar activities were also held in the northeast and southern provinces where severe floods and landslides began battering the region on March 23.

In the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, Buddhists and tourists offered alms to 2,500 monks.The alms included dried food and money which will later be sent to flood victims in the South.

More than 5,000 people in the southern province of Surat Thani, the second most flood-damaged province, offered alms to 250 monks and novices along the banks of the Ta Pee River before releasing 299 birds and 400,000 fishes into the river. The release was aimed at providing 'tam boon' or merit for those perished in the disaster.

However, such activities were not held in several favourite places in Krabi resort province as people still mourned for those killed by floods and mudslides. Such places included Phi Phi island, Ao Nang and Khao Phanom districts. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-04-13

[rkidlad]

Any devout foreign Buddhists amongst the crowd?

In all seriousness, getting pissed up and throwing water is a great day out.

[CrankyCarrot]

especially when you're on a motorcycle

[Thailand]

Unusual for water to put a damper on Songkran but it is cold and wet here in Chiang Mai, very heavy rain until about an hour or so ago and current temp is 23c.

[PhoenixRising]

Loads of fun over in my neck of the concrete jungle! No need to get pissed up for a good time; just ask the kids.

[bristolgeoff]

glad i,am not there during songkran.one festival i,am happy to be away from thailand

[reason1]

especially when you're on a motorcycle

Thanks

Didn't think of that

Its a Great Idea

Happy New Year All

[ginjag]

Any devout foreign Buddhists amongst the crowd?

In all seriousness, getting pissed up and throwing water is a great day out.

Could be a trifle better if they could control it to the 2 days ONLY -go mad- get drunk-ride your m/cycles- and not involve other people in your road mistakes. I see this year we have Red/Blue/Green/Brown dyed water--as well as local foul smelling river water. Standing in the centre of the road waving down motorists. ALL in full view of these control tents, manned with persons who get about 500 bht a day to sit drink and sleep. JOKE