Songkran: The World’s Biggest Water/Splash Fight

Songkran: The World’s Biggest Water/Splash Fight

Who in their right mind doesn’t love a water fight? Whether at the beach, pool, or lake, they are always good fun if you can keep your cool and always be at the ready to be on the receiving end of a water cannon. Thailand‘s Songkran takes it to a whole other level….or just maybe multiple levels. 2023 was the first festival since Covid, so it was an exceptional year..we definitely lucked out.

What is Songkran?

Songkran is the Thai New Year’s National Holiday, April 13 – April 15. The holiday goes on for a week so that Thai’s can travel home during the festivities. I just read in the Bangkok Post that there‘s a push to extend it for the whole month. A bit much in my opinion.

As I am writing this, Songkran is in the news for being added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Wonderful news for Thailand Indeed. Here‘s the link…

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2699869

The word Songkran comes from Sanskrit for movement and change, and in Thailand, it signifies when the sun moves from Pisces into Aries on the zodiac calendar.

Each day during Songkran holds significance and has special traditions. The first day, known as “Maha Songkran,” involves cleaning homes and Buddhist temples, along with preparing for the water-related celebrations to come. The second day, called “Wan Nao,” is often associated with charitable activities, paying respects to elders, and engaging in religious ceremonies. However, it’s the third day, “Wan Thaloeng Sok,” which is most renowned for the vibrant and exuberant water fights that symbolize washing away bad luck and welcoming the new year with a fresh start. Crowds fill the streets carrying water guns, buckets, and hoses. Then it is on! It is a day that brings everyone together. Old, young, wealthy, poor…they are all having a blast. As they dump ice-cold water down your back, they are spreading joy in one of the world’s largest water festivals. Be prepared to get wet, and join the fun as well. You can buy the craziest super soaker water guns imaginable for only a few hundred baht. Or grab a bucket as there are barrels of water all over for refills. The barrels outside of restaurants generally have blocks of ice in them. My first splash was a couple of gallons down my throat by a young girl. After I finished choking and gagging I thought, well done young lady! Ambush and subterfuge are common, so situational awareness is a must. Getting pounded with water is actually satisfying to me to no end. In my commercial diving days we used water jets to move material often…and would have a fight occasionally.

Empty water fountain in front of our hotel.

What to Expect at Songkran

Thais engage in various rituals, including cleaning their homes and Buddha statues, making merit at temples, and paying respect to elders by pouring scented water over their hands to seek blessings and express gratitude. At the Songkran festival in Julie’s school they had the students pour scented water over the hands of the teachers. It is a charming and beautiful thing to see. There is also Din Sor Pong which is a white paste made from powdered marley limestone that people smear on your cheeks and forehead. It symbolizes the washing away of sin. It feels like an honor when a complete stranger comes up and does that to you. The name of the powder is from the village where the limestone originates. The joy is certainly contagious among the chaos going on all around.

We were in Chang Mai for the beginning of the festivities and ended up back in Bangkok for the last day, so we were able to double down on getting splashed. It is a very crowded field of so-called hydraulic engineers, so be prepared for close-quarter work. Some suggestions would be to bring a dry-bag, and a cover for your phone if you wish to take action photos in the fray. Depending on where you are in Thailand you might get chilled after your soaking, so bringing an extra set of dry clothes isn’t a bad idea.

It is one big melee of a splash party, so if your lodging is in an active area, it might be a late and noisy night. It does taper off around midnight so it wasn’t a problem for nocturnal me. We enjoyed sitting at our hotel’s patio bar, tilting a beverage, and watching the action. We observed many different strategies and techniques. It was interesting to watch the true splash artists at work.

Songkran is celebrated in other countries, including a few places in the U.S., but mostly here in Asia. I think Key West should be able to pull it off….with their attitude and all.

For those wishing to visit Thailand, Songkran is something that shouldn’t be missed, although it’s not the coolest time of the year, you will often be cooled down during this important festival for the Thais.

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