Songkran Water Festival Phuket 2010

Visiting Thailand is a never ending journey. There a lot of attractions to visit, delicious foods to eat, thai girls and massage to enjoy, abundant nightlife show to watch and their unique Thai Festival to attend.

One of most anticipated festival in Thailand is The Songkran Festival. The Songkran festival s celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year's Day from 13 to 15 April. Of all the feasts and festivals in Thailand, which are many, the Songkran Festival is the most striking, for it is widely observed not only in this country but also in Burma, Cambodia and the Lao State.

The most obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water. People roam the streets with containers of water or water guns, or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. This, however, was not always the main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends and neighbors.

Besides the throwing of water, people celebrating Songkran may also go to a wat (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They may also cleanse Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance (Thai: น้ำอบไทย) over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mai, the Buddha images from all of the city's important monasteries are paraded through the streets so that people can toss water at them, ritually 'bathing' the images, as they pass by on ornately decorated floats. In northern Thailand, people may carry handfuls of sand to their neighborhood monastery in order to recompense the dirt that they have carried away on their feet during the rest of the year. The sand is then sculpted into stupa-shaped piles and decorated with colorful flags.



Songkran festival Phuket 2010

Famous across Thailand in the hot April weather, this riot of fun is equally enjoyed and avoided by foreigners since it involves a week long soaking. Full scale water fights break out in selected areas of the island and it’s impossible to travel anywhere without roadside kids drenching bikers and cars in buckers of water. It all originated from a gentler tradition of lightly watering neighbours to beckon the rainy season and is a time for Thais to gather with their families. Central Patong and Phuket city are the best places to be, along with the main beach areas, arm yourself with water pistols on sale, a sense of humour and waterproof bags for your valuables. Unique to Phuket is the Turtle Release at selected beaches, a merit making exercise. Phuket Songkran 2010 dates: April 13th to 15th.


Songkran Festival in Bangkok

In Bangkok, the Songkran Grand Celebration will be held between 10 and 15 April around the Rattanakosin Island district, sometimes called “Old Bangkok.”

The main celebrations, in the capital, focus on bathing rites of replicas of revered Buddha images originating from various provinces in the North, South, East and central regions, interspersed with traditional food and dessert-making demonstrations and cultural performances. The opening ceremony will take place, 10 April, at Phra Chetupon Wimol Manklaram or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

Although Tour Travel always focusing Songkran Festival in Phuket, actually another cities in Thailand also celebrating the festival. There are also important celebrations through the country at various tourist destinations:

• Old City Songkran Festival, Ayutthaya
• Songkran Festival, Chon Buri
• Amazing Songkran, Suphan Buri
• Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival, Samut Prakarn
• Songkran Festival, Chiang Mai
• Songkran Festival, Sukhothai
• Fantastic Northeast Songkran, Golden Shower Tree and ‘Kan’ Festival and Sticky Rice Road in Khon Kaen
• Grand Northeast Songkran Festival, Nong Khai
• Songkran Nakhon Phnom and Thai-Lao New Year Celebration
• Hat Yai Midnight Songkran, Songkhla
• Grand Songkran Festival and ‘Nang Dan’ Parade, Nakhon Si Thammarat
• Songkran on the Beach and Phuket Bike Week 2010




Songkran Festival in Chiangmai


Songkran Festival. Even a elephant also throwing the water


Chiang Mai Songkran Festival – Water Fight on Tuk Tuk


Songkran Festival in Wat Kungthapao. Most Thai people go back to their hometowns to meet their elders.


Watch Songkran Festival 2007 @ Phuket Thailand video here

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