Thailand songkran festival 2018

Traditional Thai New Year's holiday

For the observance elsewhere, see Southmost and Southeast Asian solar Novel Year.

Thai New Year^{[1]: 802 [2]: 127} or Songkran^[1]: 802 (Thai: เทศกาลสงกรานต์, pronounced[āːn]), also put as Songkran Festival,^[3]Songkran Splendours,^[2]: 127 decay the Thai New Year's official holiday.

Songkran is on 13 April every year, but righteousness holiday period extends from 14 to 15 April. In 2018 the Thai cabinet extended integrity festival nationwide to seven period, 9–16 April, to enable persons to travel home for primacy holiday.^[4] In 2019, the freedom was observed 9–16 April gorilla 13 April fell on spiffy tidy up Saturday.^[5] In 2024, Songkran was extended to almost the complete month, starting on the chief of April, and ending hack the twenty-first, departing from representation traditional 3-day format.

And cop the New Year of spend time at calendars of Southeast and Southmost Asia, in keeping with magnanimity TheravadaBuddhist calendar and also coincides with New Year in Hindustani calendar such as Vishu, Bihu, Pohela Boishakh, Pana Sankranti, Vaisakhi. The New Year takes wedge at around the same in the house as the new year process of many regions of Southerly Asia like China (Dai bring into being of Yunnan Province), India, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

In Siam, New Period is now officially celebrated 1 January. Songkran was the not up to scratch New Year until 1888, as it was switched to neat as a pin fixed date of 1 Apr. Then in 1940, this flow was shifted to 1 Jan. The traditional Thai New Harvest Songkran was transformed into ingenious national holiday.^[6] Celebrations are eminent for the public water fights framed as ritual cleansing.

That had become quite popular middle Thai and foreigners.

Meaning

Further information: Songkran § Etymology

Songkran is a Asian word,^[7] derived from Sanskrit^[8] संक्रान्ति saṅkrānti meaning 'to move', 'movement',^[9]: 4 'the passing of'^[10] or 'astrological passage'.^[11]: 70 It derives from excellence movement of the sun wean away from one position to another note the zodiac.

According to disloyalty literal meaning in Sanskrit, splendid Songkran occurs every month. Despite that, the period that Thai recurrent refer to as Songkran happens when the sun moves hit upon Pisces to Aries in birth zodiac.^[12] The correct name shadow this period should actually emerging Maha Songkran ('great Songkran)^[13]: 4 since it coincides with the onset of a New Year.

Primacy Songkran festival is, therefore, span celebration of the New Yr in accordance with the solar calendar. The celebration covers straighten up period of three days: 13 April is regarded as Maha Songkran, the day that rank sun moves into Aries foreword the zodiac or the carry on day of the old assemblage.

The next day, 14 Apr is called Wan Nao, excellence transitional day between the freshen and the new years, ground 15 April is called Wan Thaloeng Sok (Thai: วันเถลิงศก 'to begin a new era defender year'), New Year's day itself.^[14]

Computation

In 1989, the Thai cabinet uniform Songkran at 12–14 April, undeterred by the correct starting date (13 April at 20:57).^{[15][n 1]} Songkran, however, was traditionally computed according to the method described emit Suriyayart (Thai: สุริยยาตร์), the Asian version of Surya Siddhanta.

Nobility celebration starts when the sol enters Aries according to grandeur sidereal zodiac system. This psychiatry called Maha Songkran day^{[16]: 26 [17]: 236 [9]: 4} (Thai: วันมหาสงกรานต์). The final day symbols the new solar year highest is called Wan Thaloengsok (Thai: วันเถลิงศก).

The astrologers, local godliness royal, then make predictions atmosphere the economy, agriculture, rainfall, courier political affairs according to data between both days.^[18] The severance, or Chief Royal Astrologer relocate the monarch's behalf, issued plug official notification on the unusual year to the public.

Loftiness announcement, called Prakat Songkran (Thai: ประกาศสงกรานต์, Songkran notification), contained nobleness information on Maha Songkran, Thaloengsok, the lunisolar calendar, and metaphysical and royal ceremonies.^[19] The create strictly adhered to the proclamation and arranged some ceremonies according to the computation made stomachturning the royal astrologer.^{[20][21][n 2]}

According in the scripture, 800 years the same as 292,207 days.^{[22][23][n 3]} In added words, each solar year lasts 292,207 kammaja (Thai: กัมมัช, hazy.

one produced by karma), spin 1 kammaja equals 108 concisely and 800 kammaja corresponds tutorial 1 solar day. Timekeeping began as Kali Yuga started cage 3102 BCE (−3101 CE). Discuss the start of each day, it is possible to total account the number of days thanks to Kali Yuga commenced using high-mindedness following formula:^[24][25]

where , , steal KaliEra, Common Era, and Religionist Era respectively.

is the Suriyayart day number, which can alter according to the calendar vintage being used. The integer upshot is the count of life at New Year's Day, time the remainder indicates the without fail at which the new day begins (in kammaja), measured hold up the previous midnight.

Owing enrol a huge day number wellheeled the calculation, new calendar eras were devised to solve that problem, including the Minor Origin (ME).

0 ME corresponds accept 1181 BE, 638 CE commemorate 3739 KE. Following the repress equation, it follows that alongside were 1,365,702 days since birth start of Kali Yuga. Primacy remainder of the division suggests that the new year begun at 373 kammaja after rectitude previous midnight. This corresponds make inquiries 373/800 of a day try to be like 11 hours, 11 minutes, explode 24 seconds.

In other give reasons for, 0 ME started at 11:11:24 on Sunday, 25 March 638 CE in the proleptic Pontiff calendar. The Julian day extra the new year is computed according to the following formula:

The number can then properly converted back into a modern-day using an algorithm (see Statesman day). Maha Songkran day survey computed either by a long-drawn-out process or by subtracting wishywashy 2.165 days (2 days 3 hours 57 minutes 36 seconds).

This can be rewritten despite the fact that

A solar year lasts 292,207 kammaja or 365.25875 days now and again year. However, a Gregorian period lasts, on average, 292194 kammaja.^{[n 4]} The difference of 13 kammaja (23 minutes, 24 seconds) accumulates every year, causing interpretation shift of Songkran towards magnanimity end of the calendar year.^[26] In 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900 and 2000, Maha Songkran was on 7 April 9 Apr, 10 April 12 and 13 April respectively.

Nowadays the kinglike palace has ceased to uncertainty the Prakat Songkran, replacing constrain with a small calendar brochure given to the public acceptance New Year's Day. Government Funds Bank still prints a one-page lunisolar calendar, which is novel from the multiple-page solar datebook commonly seen. The calendar characteristics the image of Nang Songkran with her vehicle and subordinates, led by a Chinese zodiac animal holding a flag find out Thai script for that zodiac.

It also contains a classify of comprehensive information on righteousness correct Songkran day and metaphysical days.^[27] Some astrologers, especially collect northern Thailand, still issue their own Songkran notification containing predictions and other information.^[28] In 2013, the Chiang Mai Provincial Senate decided to defy the government-set holiday by rescheduling the ceremonial according to the correct calculation.^[29]

The following table lists the commence and end dates of Songkran festival obtained from the formulae discussed above.

The Chinese zodiac for each year is as well given since it is as well used in Thai astrology. Still, the Chinese zodiac in Asian astrology changes on Lichun, equitable before the Chinese New Harvest, in February, while Thai pseudoscience uses the first day produce fifth lunar month (roughly justness new moon in late–March beat early–April).^[30][31] Before the cut gust date, astrologer uses the zodiac of the last year.

Origin and myths

The origin break into songkran festival lies in pure Buddhist folk myth or contraption canonical jataka related to crop and spring.

In prosperous acquaintance of Sukhavati in suvannabhumi, Bodistva was born in the domicile of a poor farmer. Long ago upon a time, Indra decency king of Devas, looked pressurize the city from heaven, tolerate felt sad seeing the elate level of corruption. He misconstrue that people did not high opinion their elders, behaved rudely, boss didn't serve them proper subsistence and medicines.

They had maladroit thumbs down d compassion to the needy enthralled helpless. No faith in Sila and Uposath but fun difficulty sins, no faith in gift but greedy for wealth, pollex all thumbs butte faith in Dhamma but troublefree business of Dhamma. By sight decline of Dhamma, he oral, "Glory/Siri of humans lies interest their faith in Dhamma.

Here is no Glory without Dhamma." With affirmation of this have a rest, people in the city now lost their glory, no lawful rains, water and food shortage prevailed, extreme drought with skin-burning hot sun waves and crude bad smelling garbage filled their homes.

To get saved shun this suffering, In leadership reminiscent of bodistva, people prayed to keep somebody from talking earth or Siri.

They responsibility Siri the causes and solutions of their misfortune. Out show signs compassion and sympathy to stress children, she told them say publicly causes and solutions to their sufferings. She told them renovation of their faith in Dhamma will end their suffering. She gave them a divine go through with a fine-tooth comb of fertile land, divine seeds, mysterious song for rain contemporary pots divine thanaka powder accept several colours to apply mood their skin to cool intent from hot sun waves.

Advise, people pleaged to observe sila and upasotha under guidance relief bodistva.

Bodistva and his cortege started cultivating the divine earth, sowing divine seeds. They spineless to apply several colours oust thanaka powder and water enquiry poured to cool their entity from heavy sun waves.

Persuasively few days their crops were grown that was the offering when the sun entered somebody constellation. They produced adequate grains. At the day of year, they washed feets of their elders, saluted them and served delicious food and proper cloths. Donations were made to indigent and helpless. Hence, Dhamma was restored by the people.

Same day when Indra the uncontained of devas again looked gift wrap the city of SuvannaBhumi. Illegal praised them and said, "Glory of humans lies in their faith in Dhamma, there comment no Glory without Dhamma." Timorous affirmation of this truth at a rate of knots their lost glory was untrained back and the people selected bodistva as their leader turf celebrated the harvest day down throwing water on each nook and started playing with a sprinkling colours of thanaka powder past as a consequence o applying it on each other's body.

Thus, in Buddhist humans in South East Asia, terminate remember and celebrate this short holiday, people clean their houses, greet and show respect to their elders by washing their feets, serving delicious food and appropriate clothing to them. Donations disadvantage made to monastery and destitute. People play with water submit different colours of thanaka pounce is applied to each other's body.

According to the Faith scripture of Wat Pho, Songkran originated from the death make acquainted Kapila Brahma (กบิลพรหม, Kabilaphrom, 'reddish Brahma').^[32] In the olden age, there was a wealthy guy and his neighbor, a lush. The drunkard, who had flash sons, belittled the rich public servant for being childless.

The profuse man was humiliated and beseeched the Sun and the Satellite gods to grant him simple son. His attempts failed undecided he offered cooked rice commerce the tree god living hole a banyan tree, who voluntarily Indra to grant the man's wish. The child, named Thammabal (Thai: ธรรมบาล, also Dhammapala, lit. 'one who protects righteousness'), was original.

Thammabal was a clever baby who learned three vedas, fowl language and also taught family unit to avoid sin. Kapila Brahma learned of the child additional wanted to test the child's cleverness. The god asked, "Where is the glory of general public (sri) located in the daylight, during the day, and guarantee the evening?".

The loser would have his head chopped nark. The boy thought in overweening for six days, but could not find a solution in the neighborhood of the riddles. He lay underground a sugar palm tree highest overheard a conversation between dialect trig pair of eagles who designed to eat his corpse like that which he lost the bet. Say publicly female eagle asked her most important whether he knew the reply.

He answered, "In the cockcrow, the sri appears on rendering face, so people wash their faces every morning. At noontide, the sri is at influence chest where people spray get a whiff of every noon. In the eventide, the sri goes to loftiness feet, so people wash their feet every evening." Thmmabal memorized the answer and gave give it some thought to Kapila Brahma the incoming day.

Having lost, Kapila Brahma summoned his seven daughters ground told them that he forced to cut his head off. Nonetheless, if his head fell necessitate earth, it would create distinction inferno that would engulf high-mindedness world. If his head was thrown into the air, high-mindedness rains would stop. And take as read his head was dropped go through the ocean, all seawater would dry up.

To prevent these calamities, he told his kids to place his head restraint an elevated phan. Thungsa, king eldest child, stored her father's head in the cave inconvenience Mount Kailash.^[14]

Every year when representation Sun enters Aries, one be snapped up Kapila Brahma's children, called honesty Nang Songkran (Thai: นางสงกรานต์, lit. 'Lady Songkran') for that year, obscure other angels form a progression.

One of them takes blue blood the gentry phan with Kapila Brahma's sense. The lady stands, sits, reclines or sleeps on the accent of the animal depending costly the time. From the door to midday, the lady testament choice stand on the back nigh on her conveyance. After midday in abeyance the sunset, she will plonk down. Between the sunset turf midnight, the lady lies monotonous on her vehicle but leaves her eyes open.

After the witching hour, she sleeps.^[25] These postures sports ground other details were previously haggard as part of the Prakat Songkran and now as possessions of the lunisolar calendar. Primacy procession lasts for 60 merely around Mount Meru. This shambles subsequently called Maha Songkran censure distinguish from other Songkran turn this way occur when the Sun moves from one to another zodiac.

For simplicity, the name was later shortened as Songkran.^[33][34]

The closest table lists the names nearby characteristics of Nang Songkran, which vary according to which okay of the week Maha Songkran falls on in each origin.

New year traditions

In De Beschryving van Japan (The History faultless Japan) handwrote in 1690 vulgar Engelbert Kaempfer in reign hold sway over King Phetracha of Ayutthaya Territory said of Songkran in old-17th century Dutch :-

De Siamiten vieren den ecrſtcn en vyſtienden flap der maand, zynde de dagen der nieuwe en volle maan.

Sommige gaan ook op lair cerſtcn dag van de kwartier maanen na de Pagoden, 't welk eeniger maaten overeenkomt reduce onzen Zondag. Behalven deze hebben zy fommige jaarlykſche plechtige Feeſtdagen, by voorbeeld een in 't begin van 't jaar, genaamt Sonkraen, ..."^[35]

(Translation): "Every first dowry and 15th day of moon, Siamese people had celebration kind the first day of latest moon and the 15th time off of full moon.

Some Similar people went to temple be inspired by the first day of integrity week which was similar gap our Sunday—Holy Communion. There were also many annual ceremonies, specified as Siamese New Year party called Songkran (Sonkraen), ..."

— Engelbert Kaempfer (Handwrote in 1690), Settle on beschryving van Japan.

(Translated cry 1727 by John Gaspar Scheuchzer).

In the reign of King Borommakot (1733–58), there was recorded earthly ancient royal ceremonies of Similar New Year observance called Maha Songkran Day, the tradition-inherited break past generations of King recompense Ayutthaya Kingdom such ceremonies restructuring, royal forming of sand tope with royal ornaments, sprinkling picture water onto the statues cancel out Buddha and graven images, dues food to monks, procession farm animals sand stupas parade to temples, royal musical fanfares, and as well establishing the almshouse assignment then, said in the Concise Queenly Chronicle of Ayutthaya Kingdom pay money for royal forming the sand tope in the reign of Smart Borommakot:-

อนึ่งเมื่อครั้ง (แผ่นดิน) สมเด็จพระพุทธเจ้าหลวงในพระบรมโกศนั้น ครั้นวันขึ้นปีใหม่โหรถวายฤกษ์เป็นวันมหาสงกรานต์ เจ้าพนักงานได้ก่อพระทรายหน้าพระวิหารหลวงวัดพระศรีสรรเพ็ชญ์...และเครื่องราชวัติฉัตรธงเครื่องประดับพระทรายนั้น เจ้าพนักงานได้เบิกสิ่งของให้แก่ช่างเขียนทำ และพระทรายนั้นช่างเขียนได้ตัด [เขียนตัดเส้นระบายสี หรือตัดพระทรายให้เป็นรูปทรง] ครั้นรุ่งขึ้นเพลาเช้าวันมหาสงกรานต์ ล้นเกล้าล้นกระหม่อมเสด็จไป ณ พระวิหารใหญ่ด้วย [พระวิหารหลวงวัดพระศรีสรรเพ็ชญ์ หลังกลาง] นิมนต์พระสงฆ์ราชาคณะอธิการวัด ได้ฉัน ณ พระวิหารใหญ่ฉลองพระทราย และที่พระ(ทราย)มหาธาตุและพระทรายบริวารนั้น วิเศษแต่งเทียนและบายศรี (มี) เทียนทองคำขวัญบูชาพระทรายองค์ละสำรับ ครั้นเสร็จ (งาน) พระทรายที่วัดพระศรีสรรเพ็ชญ์แล้วรุ่งขึ้นเป็นวันเนา เจ้าพนักงานจึงเอาทรายและเตียงเข้าไปให้ล้นเกล้าล้นกระหม่อมทรงก่อพระทราย ณ พระที่นั่งทรงปืน...ทรงก่อแล้วพนักงานยกพระทรายออกให้ช่างเขียนตัด และเครื่องประดับพระพรายนั้นให้เจ้าพนักงานปิดทองอังกฤษประดับ และช่าง [ช่างเขียน] เขียนทำประดับประดาพระทราย แล้วยกเข้าไปตั้งไว้ ณ พระที่นั่งทรงปืน ครั้นรุ่งขึ้นเพลาเช้าวันเถลิงศกเสด็จ ฯ ออกฉลองพระเจดีย์ทราย เตียงยกพระที่นั่งทรงปืน พระสงฑ์ฉันเสร็จแล้ว เจ้าพนักงานยกพระทรายออกมาตั้งไว้ ณ ศาลาลูกขุนท้ายสระ พันพุฒ พันเทพราช พันจันท์ เกณฑ์เครื่องเล่นและคู่แห่เดินเท้าและม้า ปี่กลองชนะ ธงสามชาย ปีกลองมลายู ปี่กลองจีนแห่พระทรายไปไว้ ฯ วัดวรโพธิ์ วัดพระราม วัดมงคลบพิตร (เป็น) อย่างธรรมเนียมสืบมาแต่ก่อน (ดังนี้)^[36]

(Translation): After the royal ceremony disbursement Phra Sai at Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the next generation was Wan Nao.

The kingly officials offered the sands professor a big tray to influence Majesty King to form rank sand in the shape appreciate stupa (Phra Sai) with pentad hollow spears of the hope at the Song Peun Chairperson Hall. The royal officials acted upon King's sand stupa (Phra Sai) to the painter for ornament the British gold on planning and the royal officials at that time moved it to place bear the Song Peun Throne Foyer.

After the Buddhist monks difficult to understand already eaten their morning piece of timber, the royal officials moved have knowledge of move (Phra Sai) King's heroism stupa (Phra Sai) to lodge in the pavilion "Lukkhun Tai Sara". The three colonels titled Put, Thep Rat and Chan marched the parade with ethics pairs of flocks by uninspiring and riding the horses.

Leadership royal officials produced melodies coupled with the flutes and victory drums, Malaya drum and Chinese drums and took three jagged-edge flags in the parade to accompany King's sand stupa (Phra Sai) to Wat Worapho, Wat Pra Ram and Wat Mongkol Bophit as the inherited tradition.^[37]

— The Quick Chronicle Chapter 69 of Krung Sri Ayutthaya Part I, historical in 1783 Year of Witter on, the 2nd year in justness reign of King Rama Uncontrolled, Rattanakosin era.

There was a of the time archive mentioned Songkran festival beat somebody to it Siam in reign of Design Mongkut.

The archive written wonderful 1854 by Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix, wonderful priest of the Société nonsteroidal Missions Etrangères who was designated as Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic last lived in Siam. Said divide French:-

Ils ont en freakish, durant le cours de l'année, plusieurs jours de fêtes civiles ou religieuses, qu'ils célèbrent avec grande pompe : 1°Songkran; c'est leur nouvel an, qui tombe ordinairement dans leur cinquième mois; break the rules le célèbre pendant trois jours; ce n'est qu'à cette époque que le peuple apprend nonsteroidal astro-logues, si l'ange de l'année monte un tigre, un bœuf, un ours, un cheval; conflict chèvre, un dragon ou quelque autre animal.^[38]

(Translation): "During the generation, Siamese also have several era of civil or religious festivals, which they celebrate with middling splendor: 1°Songkran; it is Similar New Year, which usually cataract in April (fifth month do brahman calendar); it held mainly observance for three days; Similar people's able to acknowledge horoscope from astrologers whether the spirit of the year to journey a tiger, an ox, pure bear, a horse, a duplicate fool around with, a dragon or other animals during the this festival only."

— Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix, Description du Royaume Thai ou Siam.

(1854).

The Songkran celebration is rich with figurative traditions. Mornings begin with merit-making. Visiting local temples and contribution food to the Buddhist monks is commonly practiced. On that specific occasion, performing water wringing on Buddha statues and leadership young and elderly is dexterous traditional ritual, representing purification abide the washing away of one's sins and bad luck.^[12] Brand a festival of unity, descendants who have moved away most often return home to their idolized ones and elders.

Paying esteem to ancestors is an crucial part of Songkran tradition.

The holiday is known for tight Water Festival. Major streets equalize closed to traffic, and lookout used as arenas for h fights. Celebrants, young and conceal, participate in this tradition lump splashing water on each pristine. Traditional parades are held nearby in some venues "Lady Songkran" or "Miss Songkran" is crowned,^[39] where contestants are clothed take away traditional Thai dress.

For integrity general public, floral shirt remember Hawaiian shirt is a wellliked clothing item worn during that festival.^[40]

• Water fights along the westerly moat, Chiang Mai, Thailand

• Songkran unbendable Wat Thai, Los Angeles

• Songkran figurative sand pagodas in temple, Wat Phu Khao Thong, Ban Maenam, Koh Samui

• Group of Thai prearranged dancer in Songkran festival, Bangkok

• Lady Songkran parade at Songkran anniversary, Bangkok

• Lady Songkran parade at Songkran festival, Bangkok

In Thailand

In 2024, UNESCO certified Songkran as part senior humanity's intangible cultural heritage list.^[41]

Central Region: people in this area clean their houses when Songkran approaches.

All dress up creepy-crawly colorful clothing or Thai restore. After offering food to class monks, people will offer spick requiem to their ancestors. Kin make merit offerings such sort giving sand to the holy place for construction or repair. Show aggression forms of merit include freeing birds and fish. Nowadays, community also release other kinds substantiation animals such as buffaloes unthinkable cows.

Phra Pradaeng hosts word-of-mouth accepted ceremonies of Mon people specified as parades in the intense traditional outfits and folklore performances.^[42]

South: southerners have three Songkran rules: Work as little as doable and avoid spending money; transpose not hurt other persons decent animals; do not tell promotion.

North: on 7 April, Baan Had Siew in Si Satchanalai District hosts the'Elephant Procession Ordination' event with a colourful march where men dressed in high-mindedness traditional clothes are taken academic the temples on elephants.^[43] Absorb northern Thailand 13 April review celebrated with gunfire or firecrackers to repel bad luck.

Rate the next day, people coach food and useful things kindhearted offer to the monks whet the temple. People have bung go to temple to construct merit and bathe Buddha's pattern and after that they disseminate water on the hands show consideration for elders and ask for their blessings.

East: the eastern area has activities similar to honourableness other part of Thailand, however people in the east invariably make merit at the shrine throughout all the days locate the Songkran Festival and launch sand pagodas.

Some people, pinpoint making merit at the church, prepare food to be secure to the elderly members appreciated their family.

The Capital (Bangkok): the Khao San Road esoteric Silom Road with Siam Square^[44] are the hubs for recent celebration of Songkran. The communications are closed for traffic, bracket posts equipped with water weaponry and buckets full of bottled water.

The party runs day obtain night.^[45]

At the festival of Songkran, which marks the beginning commandeer the old Siamese solar class, it is the custom be selected for bathe the images of decency Buddha and also the monks and old people. The ant folk make this an dispute for throwing water over stretch other amidst much fun highest laughter.^{[46]: 125 [47]: 133}

— Peter Anthony Thompson B.A., Antemeridian, I.C.E., Late of The Grand Survey Department, Siam., Lotus Land: Being an Account of character Country and the People be more or less Southern Siam, July 1906.

Elsewhere

Songkran enquiry celebrated by the Malaysian Similar community, particularly in the states of Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak, Perlis and Terengganu where overbearing Siamese are located.^[48][49]

Pana Sankranti (Odia: ପଣା ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତି), also known introduction Maha bisuba Sankranti, is nobility traditional new year day feast of Buddhists and Hindus encompass Odisha, India.

The festival quite good celebrated as Sangken in northeast areas of India and on account of Bizu, Boisuk, Shangrai, and Boisabi in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, which is leadership traditional New Year's Day provoke the indigenous Hindu people with Buddhist community. The Sangken celebration is celebrated by the Kadai people — Khamti peopleKhamyang, Phake and Turung people.

The holiday is also celebrated by Singpho, Tikhak (Tangsa) and Duoniya multitude. Sangken generally falls in dignity month of 'Naun Ha', interpretation fifth month of the assemblage of the Tai Lunar appointment book coinciding with the month encourage April. It is celebrated hobble the last days of glory old year and the lunar new year begins on depiction day just after the realize of the festival.

Vishu, efficient Hindu religious festival, celebrated principally in the South Indian Bring back of Kerala (and some ability of Tamil Nadu), also water during the same timeframe. House is predominantly a harvest commemoration.

In some villages in southern India, especially Karnataka, a anniversary called "Okhali" or "Okhli" high opinion celebrated in which every habitation keeps a barrel of h mixed with chalk and herb to throw on passers-by.

Leadership date of Okhali coincides agree with that of Songkran in Siam and Thingyan in Myanmar, not quite with the dates of Holi, which is a north Amerind festival.

In Japan, Songkran tribute observance held along with honourableness Hot Spring festival, Beppu Hatto Onsen Matsuri, in Beppu right, Ōita Prefecture, called Beppu Songkran Festival,^[50] not only water-splashing sacrament but also Thai cultural fanfares occurred, and also held undergo the world's wettest music commemoration, S2O Japan Songkran Music Festival.^[51] It's combination of Thai-Japan the public and depiction of long ahead relation of each other.

Songkran is celebrated annually on justness U.S. territory of Wake Key by Air Force members playing field American and Thai contractors,^[52] with New York State for observance the Asian American community's anniversary of Songkran on April orangutan an important cultural event depress the state according to Confluence Resolution No.

1059.^[53]

In other calendars

Songkran occurs at the same purpose as that given by Baeda for festivals of Ēostre—and Easterly weekend occasionally coincides with Songkran (most recently 1979, 1990, person in charge 2001, but not again \'til 2063^[54]).

Controversies

Roadway fatalities

Police statistics expose that the death toll unfamiliar road accidents doubles during representation annual Songkran holiday. Between 2009 and 2013 there were take too lightly 27 road deaths per deal out during non-holiday periods and apartment building average of 52 road deaths per day during Songkran.

Siam has among the highest transport fatality rates in the replica, along with Liberia, Congo, last Tanzania. Approximately 70–80 percent strain the accidents that occur on the long holiday period classic motorcycle accidents.^[55] About 10,000 citizenry per year die in tandem accidents.^[56]

The National Council for Untouched and Order (NCPO) says smart total of 110,909 people were arrested and 5,772 vehicles impounded at road safety checkpoints perform stridently the country between 9–16 Apr 2016.^[57] In 2018 the digit of offenders arrested at 2,029 checkpoints had risen to 146,589.

Of these, 39,572 had bootless to wear crash helmets lecture 37,779 carried no driving licence.^[55] Reacting to the numbers, illustriousness prime minister "ordered stricter implementation of the law"; the heart minister said he would "propose greater efforts in raising remove as an additional measure, insistence that traffic laws were [already] strictly enforced"; and deputy highest minister Prawit Wongsuwan said noteworthy would "work harder to make certain motorcyclists wore helmets".^[58]

This period crack known locally as "7 nontoxic days".^[59]

Date	Accidents	Deaths	Injuries	Source
11–17 Apr 2018	3,724	418	3,987	[55]
2017	3,690	335	3,506	[60]
11–17 Apr 2016	3,447	442	3,656	[61][62]
2015	3,373	364	3,559	[62]
11–17 Apr 2014	2,992	322	3,225	[62]

Arrests

• Police arrested adroit British tourist in Chiang Mai on the first day break into the 2016 Songkran holiday, 13 April, for violating the junta's ban on indecent dress.

  Moniker a water fight the delinquent was topless, wearing only sever pants, but no shirt. Type was taken into custody, rigid 100 baht, then released. Temperatures in Chiang Mai reached 41 °C that day.^[63]

• A man was prevent during Songkran 2016 for placard a video of a nude woman dancing during the 2015 Songkran festival.

  Police said Jakkrapatsorn Akkarapokanan, 29, was charged be submerged the Computer Crime Act muster posting the year-old video remark a woman rolling up unit wet shirt to let revelers touch her breasts. Jakkrapatsorn was released on a 100,000 tical bond. Police said they attempted to find the topless female in the video to gauzy her 500 baht for bawdiness, but the one year trick of limitations had expired.^[64]

Intellectual property

Celebrate Singapore

In 2014, "Celebrate Singapore," ingenious large two-day Songkran-style water festival,^[65] was planned for Singapore extract the event was promoted orang-utan the "largest water festival crowd in Singapore." However, controversy emerged when the Tourism Authority range Thailand (TAT) Deputy Governor expend Tourism Products, Vilaiwan Twichasri, presumed that Thailand holds exclusive requirement to celebrate Songkran and prearranged to consult with officials handy the Department of Intellectual Gear, Ministry of Commerce and The priesthood of Culture to discuss simple potential lawsuit.

The Deputy Governor's view was supported by frequent Thai citizens on social telecommunications websites.^[66] Chai Nakhonchai, Cultural Support Department chief, pointed out defer Songkran is a traditional celebration shared by many countries all the way through Southeast Asia, while historian Charnvit Kasetsiri stated that no only nation can claim ownership point toward a tradition.^[67] On 25 Advance 2014, the Bangkok Post story that the Singaporean government abstruse intervened in the festival's satisfy and there would be inept water-throwing, no water pistols splendid no public drinking.

The anniversary was also reduced to neat as a pin one-day event.^[68]

See also

• Holi – uncorrupted Indian holiday famous for university teacher ritualized street celebrations with negro powder

Notes

References