Destinations known | A month-long Songkran water festival in Thailand? US$1 billion gain for economy from extending festivities, politicians pushing soft power say
- Thailand’s new year festival involves cleaning homes, visiting temples and, more famously, throwing water and shooting water guns at other revellers
- Extending the three-day festival to the whole of April, as politicians suggest, may generate extra tourist income but, say critics, would cheapen the event
Christmas is approaching and new years – both calendar and lunar – are not far behind, but in Thailand, the talk is all about April’s Songkran, the “water splashing festival”, which faces a radical overhaul.
A time for personal spring cleaning, making merit and keeping cool amid the rising heat, the name Songkran comes from the Sanskrit word sankranti, roughly “astrological transition”.
In readiness, Thais across the country deep-clean their homes – where specially prepared family meals will be served – offices, schools and other public spaces.
At home, young family members pour rose and jasmine water over the hands and feet of elders as an act of gratitude and devotion, while out on the streets, few escape a drenching from buckets, water guns, even fire hoses – their sins being “washed away” in the deluge – and a coating in din sor pong, similar to talcum powder.
The Buddhist festival marks the Thai New Year and is not just a time for national celebration; the fun, frolics and chance to hose down complete strangers are a huge draw for tourists – which is why Thailand’s National Soft Power Development Committee wants to stretch the festival out across the whole of April.
