Songkran Festivities in Thailand
Feeling the blazing heat are you, then why not take part in the most chaotic and raucous Songkran festivities that are held during April, one of Thailand's hottest months. What could be better than to have some total stranger walk up to you and intentionally shoot you with a water-pistol or even better still, throw a whole bucket of water over you. Are you feeling better already? Well! Maybe not quite. Love it or loath it. Whatever your diagnosis may be, it is best not to get too livid. Thai people don't do the anger thing very well. You may have to get accustomed to it. Explore it from a different angle. This may be the perfect relief needed from the intense heat of the day. The alternative of course is to stay hidden away in your hotel room for the three day nationwide festival. Now that can't be fun can it. Wondering around the streets of Thailand can very easily get extremely hot.
Feeling the Heat in Pattaya
Now I believe most of you (that is say mostly foreigners) will more than likely be spending your Thailand vacation during the holiday season around Christmas and New Year. I am referring mainly to western New year that is, but for some of you taking your vacation during the hot season between April and July, is can get somewhat ridiculously hot here. So a water festival could be most welcome. Songkran is a public holiday that, in the past, was traditionally Thailand's New Year, until royal decree decided to shift the official New Year to 1st January. It closely resembles that of the Indian festival of Holi which occurs at roughly the same time. In Thailand it's a festival whereby normally placid Thai's let off steam. They do this by throwing water over each other as a symbolic form of cleansing.
Feeling the Heat in Bangkok
The central occurrence surrounding this festival is the sprinkling of water on one's friends to bless them, but this usually turns into a boisterous throwing of buckets of water on unsuspecting people passing by. However young Thai's pay respect to their elders as well as monks by sprinkling their hands with water and in some cases use perfumed talcum powder. Feeling the Heat on the Streets
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