All Posts Tagged With: "Songkarn"
Thailand Water Festivals 2012
Songkran or Water Festival is Thai New Year captures the imagination of travellers for both its cultural and fun attributes; the latter being enthusiastic bouts of water splashing between friends and relatives.
In Bangkok, the Songkran Water Festivals 2012 will be held between Date 13 and 16 April around the Rattanakosin Island district.
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, 11 April 2012, at Phra Chetupon Wimol Manklaram or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.
An occasion for family reunions and temple visits, Songkran begins with the “Rod Nam Dum Hua” ritual which is officially called the National Elderly Day. This ritual involves young people pouring fragrant water into the elders’ palms as a sign of humility and to ask for their blessings. Another important ritual during this water festival is bathing the Buddha, where worshipers pour fragrant water over Buddha statues at the temples and at homes. People in Thailand also splash water at each other to symbolically wash off all misfortunes.
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
Bangkok Songkran Splendours Festival
April 10 2012 – April 15 2012
Experience the demonstration of the Songkran Festival in 4 regions, pouring some scented water to the Buddha Image, enjoy various tasty dishes and cultural performance at Nagaraphirom Park during 10-15 April, 2012 at 10.00-20.00 hrs. (the Opening Ceremony will be held on 9 April, 2012). Visit the Royal Temple such as Wat Phra Kaeo, Wat Pho, Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn), Wat Ratchaorasaram, Wat Ratchaphradit, Wat Ratchabophit, Wat Bowornniwet, Wat Suthat, Wat Phraram Kao, Wat Chanasongkhram, Wat Saket (The Golden Mount), Wat Rakhang, and Wat Kanlayanamit. Moreover, partake in the Songkran Festival in Rattanakosin Royal Square and ts neighboring (Bang Lamphu, Khaosan Rd., Phra Athit Rd., Santhichaiprakan and Wisut Krasat) (During 9-17 April, 2012, at 10.00-18.00 hrs. Please visit an information booth of each temple for getting a passport to collect the stamp of each temple for receiving a souvenir at Wat Pho).
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Songkran Festival
April 13 2012 – April 13 2012
Offering alms to monks in front of Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit. Pouring water on the hands of elders to receive their blessing. Water splashing with elephants. Offering alms in accordance with the Mon tradition, and bathing the Buddha image by pouring water through a bamboo gutter. Admire the procession of traditional Mon flags. Dress in Mon costumes and try Mon traditional cuisine.
Phra Padaeng Songkran Festival, Phra Padaeng Songkran Festival, Samut Prakan
April 22 2012 – April 24 2012
One of the only places in Thailand that celebrates the Songkran Festival in the Raman style, featuring a magnificent parade. Experience how to play saba the Raman folk play and various forms of entertainment.
Chiang Mai Songkran Festival
April 12 2012 – April 15 2012
One of the grand Songkran celebrations in Thailand. Participate in the Opening Ceremony of the Songkran Festival 2012 with a wonderful procession around Chiang Mai city. Pour some Thai scented water on a Buddha image and elders, experience the cultural performances and traditions in the Northern style as well as enjoy various food along the streets.
Isan Songkran Festival, Dok Khun Siang Khaen Festival, and Khao Niao Street
April 11 2012 – April 18 2012
- Songkran Festival Opening Ceremony at 200 Years Park stage on April 11, 2012 at 7.00 pm.
- Mountain Bike Competition, Volleyball, Petanque Competition for the Royal Cup from HRH Princess Sirindhorn, cooking contest, OTOP product fair
- Thai Dance at Democracy Monument, Si Chan Rd. on April 12, 2012 at 6.00 pm.
- Giving Food Offerings Ceremony at Fountain Park, Kaen Nakhon Lake, at 6.30 am.
- Flora Cart and Songkran Procession from Fountain Park, Kaen Nakhon Lake to Khao Niao Street on April 13, 2012 at 10.00 am.
- Khao Niao Street Opening Ceremony at Khon Kaen City Pillar Shrine at 11.19 am.
- Human Wave for World Record from 7.00 pm onwards.
- Family Day Ceremony at Khao Niao Street on April 14, 2012
Wanlai Pattaya Na Klue Festival
April 18 2012 – April 20 2012
Offering alms to monks, pour some Thai scented water on a Buddha image, enjoy folk plays and various forms of entertainment, as well as have refreshing fun splashing water on each other along the beach.
Budget Hotels in Thailand for This Water Festival 2012
Songkran: Thailand Water Festival 2009
While the water splashing will flourish, the traditional values of Songkran are the focus of the 2009 celebrations.
Songkran is without doubt the most popular of all Thai festivals and rightly so.
It marks the beginning of a new astrological year and its exact dates are determined by the old lunar calendar of Siam.
This year the three-day festival falls on 13 – 15 April 2009.
There are other opportunities to join in Songkran festivities regardless of where you are travelling.
In the North:
Chiang Saen Water Festival runs from 13 to 21 April, in Chiang Saen district of Chiang Rai province. In the Golden Triangle area, where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet, a ceremony, during the day, will pay homage to the town’s Buddha image. In the evening, the visitors can join a Lanna-style dinner, known as Khan Tok, or shop for handicrafts on a street closed to traffic, also the venue for folk dance performances.
Si Satchanalai Water Festival, from 13 to 15 April, at Si Satchanalai district, Sukhothai province, features parades and water splashing in the Si Satchanalai Historical Park. The town is 67 km north of Sukhothai and is a popular stop on Around North Thailand tours.
Northeast
Thai-Lao Water Festival, from 13 to 17 April, plays out on the banks of the Mekong River in Nong Khai town that faces Laos and its capital, Vientiane. Sports competitions will be organized in the week preceding the festival.
Koon Flower and Sticky Rice Road and Water Festival in Khon Kaen province, features parades, performances and water splashing on Si Chan Road, known as sticky rice road for its profusion of vendors selling this staple northeast food.
Ubon Ratchathani Water Festival, in the city centre, will feature a Thai-Indochina Food Festival at Thung Si Mueang Park, which will sell specialty dishes and food items representative of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Nakhon Phanom Water Festival has an unusual theme of noodles. The main event will be held on Sinthorn Vichit Road or Khao Pun Road (rice flour noodle road) where booths will sell products and dishes made of rice flour noodles, the specialty of this province.
Central
Bangkok Water Festival gets underway,12 April, with a sound and light show at Arun Ratchawararam Temple, from 1800 to 2100. This year, the city will focus on a traditional style Songkran Festival by supporting and inviting people to make merit at temples and return to their villages up-country to be with their families. Water splashing on streets in the business district will be discouraged.
However, the city is promoting its “Passport to nine royal temples” for those who visit temples during the festival, with an incentive to win prizes. Water splashing will be encouraged only in specific areas such as Khao Sarn Road.
Phrapadaeng Water Festival, which follows different dates than most of the celebrations, will be hosted, 18 to 20 April, in front of Phrapradaeng district office, Samut Prakarn province. There will be parades, Thai-Mon traditional sports and performances.
Eastern seaboard
Bangsaen Water Festival, 16 to 17 April, is held a week after national celebrations at Bangsaen beach in Chonburi province. A competition to determine the most artistic sand pagoda takes centre stage with more than 100 miniature pagodas sculptured from the sand.
Pattaya Water Festival follows on from Bangsaen, 17 to 20 April. The water splashing celebration first moves to Na-Klua, a village just north of Pattaya, 18 April, Pattaya beach, 19 April and finally moving, 20 April, to Sattahip, a fishing and Naval town on the eastern seaboard.
South
Ranong Mineral Water Festival runs from 12 to 15 April, at Raksawarin Public Park in the centre of Ranong town, located on the Andaman Sea coast, some 300 km north of Phuket.
Here, people will enjoy the luxury of splashing mineral water on one another following the style witnessed in Myanmar’s traditional festivities. Also, during the four days, there will be booths selling tourism products and packages to Ranong province and other Andaman coast destinations.
Hat Yai Midnight Songkran, will be hosted 12 to 14 April, at Nipat Uthit Road in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province. The water splashing will start from 22:00, 12 April to midnight on 13 April. Ceremonies to sprinkle water on the town’s Buddha images will be conducted on the mornings of 13 and 14 April.
Songkran Water Festivals
Songkran is one of the most famous and fun-filled festival of Thailand. The underlying significance of Songkran Festival is the process of cleansing and purification. Also to start traditional Thai New Year afresh. Its Characteristic tradition of water-throwing ranging from a courteous sprinkle or a polite splash, to harmless water pistols and showers from garden hoses to the well-aimed bucket or water-cannon delivered in a festive spirit. People come from all over the world to enjoy all kinds of entertainment during the festival.
In a way, Songkran is not only a refreshing solution to “beating the heat” in the hottest season of the year, but also the time for reunions and family ties are renewed. During this very special National Holiday, Thai citizens will find time to perform their annual rites of showing respect to their ancestors. The highlight of the festival will include the younger Thais paying respect to their elders by sprinkling their hands with flower-scented water. Also, the festivities would include the forming of sand pagodas and entertaing celebrations nationwide.
Songkran or Water Festival is a Thai traditional New Year which starts on April 13 every year and lasts for 3 days. Songkran festival on April 13 is Maha Songkran Day or the day to mark the end of the old year, April 14 is Wan Nao which is the day after and April 15 is “Wan Thaloeng Sok” which the New Year begins. At this time, people from the rural areas who are working in the city usually return home to celebrate the festival. Thus, when the time come, Bangkok temporarily turns into a deserted city.
The values for community is to provide the opportunity to create unity in the community such as to jointly acquire merits, to meet each other and to enjoy the entertaining events. And for the society value is to create concern upon environment with cooperation such as to clean houses, temples, public places and official buildings. Thais value the religion bye means of merits acquisition, offerings alms to monks, Dhamma Practice, listening to sermon and monks-bathing.
In the afternoon, after performing a bathing rite for Buddha Images and the monks, the celebrants both young and old, joyfully splash water on each other. The most-talked about celebration takes place in the northern province of Chiang Mai where Songkran is celebrated from April 13 to 15. During this period, people from all parts of the country flock there to enjoy the water festival, to watch the Miss Songkran Contest and the beautiful parades.
Songkran is a Thai word which means “move” or “change place” as it is the day when the sun changes its position in the zodiac. It is also known as the “Water Festival” as people believe that water will wash away bad luck. The Songkran tradition is recognized as a valuable custom for the Thai community, society and religions. The value for family is to provide the opportunity for family members to gather in order to express their respects to the elders by pouring scented water onto the hands of their parents and grandparents and to present them gifts including making merits to dedicate the result to their ancestors. The elders in return wish the youngsters good luck and prosperity.
Thailand Major Events
Chinese New Year Festival
January or February
This is the most important event on the Chinese calendar. The Chinese new Year is not on the same day as the western New Year. The Chinese New Year is consistent with the Chinese lunar Month. It falls on the twelfth lunar month. Or according to the Chinese calendar, it falls on the first, second and third waxing moon of the second lunar moon month. These dates are equivalent to approximately the month of January of February. At present, the Thai-Chinese descendants have got together to create a new legend for China Town as “The biggest Celebration of Chinese New Year – China Town a place that never sleeps”. During this grand festival, the whole of Yaowarat road will be closed and many stores and food stands will crowd the road. This is the opportunity for many Thais and foreigners to gather and walk to taste all the authentic Chinese food. And last but not least, are the grandiose and colorful Chinese lion and dragon processions.
Bangkok Songkran Festival
April 12-14
The Traditional Thai New Year is an occasion for merriment all over the city, but most notably at Sanam Luang, near the Grand palace, where the revered Phra Phuttha Sihing image is displayed and bathed by devotees. In the Wisutkasat area, a Miss Songkran beauty contest is held and accompanied by merit-making and entertainment. Khao San Road, Bang Lamphu area is also one of the high-spots in the city to experience the water-throwing activities between locals and tourists.
Royal Ploughing Ceremony
May
An ancient Brahman ritual, conducted at Sanam Luang, in which farmers believe, is able to forecast the abundance of the next rice crop. The event is a result of ceremonies that are conducted by Phraya Raek Na, portrayed by a hight-ranking official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives who wears colorful traditional costumes. This ceremony was re-introduced in 1960 by H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is considered the official commencement of the rice-growing season.
H.M. The Queen’s Birthday Celebration
August 12
To display their loyalty and to hour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on the occasion of her royal birthday, the Thai people decorate their houses and public buildings. Around Bangkok, Ratchadamnoen Avenue, the area around the Grand Palace and other well-known locations are bedecked with colored lights and magnificent adornments.
Trooping of the Colors
December
Their majesties the King and Queen preside over this impressive annual event, held in the Royal Plaza near the equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn. Dressed in colorful uniforms, amid much pomp and ceremony, members of the elite Royal Guards swear allegiance to the King and march past members of the Royal Family.
H.M. The King’s Birthday Celebrations
December 5
H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest reigning monarch is well beloved and deeply respected by all Thais old and young. The occasion of his royal birthday provides his loyal subjects the opportunity to express their reverence for him. All over the country, buildings and homes are elaborated and the area around the Grand Palace is spectacularly illuminated.
