Pouring Water on Monks at Songkran

One of the more traditional events that took place during Songkran recently was “song nam phra”. This is the practice of bathing Buddha images with rose scented water. Most tourists, and even some Thai teenagers, seem to think that Songkran is only about throwing water at each other.

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Sand Pagodas for Songkran

Taking a break from the hectic Songkran celebrations the other day, I went to Wat Chai Mongkol in Samut Prakan. It was like an oasis in the middle of a war zone. In the surrounding area, roaming pickup trucks, packed with people armed to the teeth, were patrolling the streets looking for people to squirt with their guns.

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Songkran at Nakaphirom Park: 10-15 April

Many foreign tourists, and even some Thais, seem to think that Songkran is only about the water fights. But, there is another side to this festival which is more traditional. It is possible to experience what I call the real Songkran at various places around Thailand. In Bangkok, one of the best places to go is at Nakaraphirom Park which is alongside the Chao Phraya River and next to the pier at Tha Tien. It is a new park with some excellent river views including Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn.

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