Songkran in Phuket

Songkran is the festival that marks the beginning of the New Year in the traditional Thai calendar. It used to be held on the full moon of the eleventh month, which coincided with the beginning of the northern spring, when the sun started moving northwards. These days the date is fixed, and each year the festival is held over three days from April 13-15. Festivals similar to Songkran are held at about the same time in Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and in the Yunnan region of South-West China. The name Songkran (สงกรานต์) comes from the Sanskrit sankranta, meaning a move or change.

Songkran in Thailand

Songkran used to be observed only in Northern Thailand, leading some to believe that it was originally brought to Thailand by the Burmese. It is now celebrated all over Thailand, especially in tourist resorts like Phuket, although the celebration in the northern city of Chiang Mai is generally recognized as the most authentic Songkran celebration.

Traditional Songkran

Traditionally, Songkran was a time when Buddha images from private homes and temples were cleansed with specially perfumed lustral water. In many cities, Buddha images are taken from the temples and paraded around the streets for this purpose. Also at this time sand is taken to the temples, sculpted into shapes like stupas (chedis), and decorated with colorful flags. At this time, many people take the opportunity to carefully clean their houses and to make New Year resolutions, promising to do good deeds and refrain from doing bad ones.

Modern Songkran

A feature of the celebration was that some of the lustral water used to bathe the Buddha images was collected. It was then gently poured onto elders and family members as a sign of respect and to ensure good luck and prosperity in the coming year. What has happened in modern times is that this aspect of the celebration has become its central theme, and has become much more intense. The result is that Songkran now resembles a three day water-fight in which any weapon, from high pressure squirt guns to buckets filled with icy water, is considered fair game. It has become very popular with younger Thai people, and the younger tourists from overseas, who see it as three days of fun, rather than a religious festival. In fact, most Thai people are happy to take part in this fun aspect of Songkran, particularly as April is usually the hottest month of the year, when temperatures can top 100º F (40ºC). Every year there are calls from political and religious leaders to moderate the festival, particularly in light of the horrendous carnage on the roads, but every year these calls are ignored.

Songkran in Phuket

In Phuket this mixture of the sacred and the profane is also much in evidence. In the main resort town of Patong Beach the Songkran holiday starts staidly enough, with a traditional parade of monks down Soi Bangla at about 5pm on the night before Songkran officially starts. After that the water pistols usually start to come out! Normal Songkran etiquette dictates that the water splashing ceases at sunset, but as the many Western tourists in Songkran do not always realize this, a certain leeway is allowed here. On the beach opposite Soi Bangla a stage is usually erected on which children’s contests and beauty contests are held. On the first day of Songkran this stage will feature Thai music in the morning, and other performances in the evening. Meanwhile, at the temple on the turn into Patong, there will be a ceremony in which rice is offered to the monks. After the monks have eaten, a gentle water-blessing ceremony for the elderly will be held. In this way local people can pay their respects to the monkhood and also to parents and elderly family members.

In the Old Town of Phuket Songkran is officially opened by dignitaries riding on trishaws to Soi Romanee, after which the Governor opens the festivities. Fairs and stalls are set up on the walking street at Soi Thalang and there is a general party atmosphere for the duration of the festival.

As in other Thai towns, the children and young people make the most of the situation to have fun. Young people will be driving around in tuk-tuks with the hoods down, equipped with water guns and buckets of icy water. Fire will be exchanged with pedestrians, motorcyclists, other young people riding shotgun in the back of pick up trucks, and just about anyone else who gets in the way. Those wishing to take part will find plenty of vendors willing to supply them with guns, water, ice and cans of beer. Those people riding motorcycles will need to take special care. In recent times the actual beginning and ending of the water splashing period has become more elastic, so expect to be suddenly soaked in icy water in the days just before and just after the official Songkran festival period.

Songkran Rules

It may seem like unrestricted mayhem, but there is etiquette to be observed. Monks and pregnant women are not considered valid targets. You do not splash or shoot water inside restaurants, hotels or people’s homes. Most importantly, once the sun goes down, people go home to change into dry clothes and a general cease-fire then comes into effect. Tourists who do not understand these rules can occasionally find themselves in trouble both with offended victims and with the police. Observe what the Thais do, and you will not go far wrong.