Pattaya Songkran Festival 2008
Thursday, June 19th, 2008Songkran Festival is the traditional Thai New Year, when Thais go Temples offering food to Buddhist monks, freeing birds or turtles back into the wild (It is believed that if you free a turtle that will give you a longer life), Le houses are spring-clean, is sprayed perfumed water on their elders as a sign of respect!
Songkran is internationally renowned and well known by dousing the water that goes to the whole of Thailand. Children and adults stand along the road to douse passers-by with water and talc powder. The backs of trucks are filled with large barrels of water that is promptly dispatched more than all of them to move as a unit slowly along the roads. Those who venture out not escape a dive very thorough, but its great fun and very refreshing, as is the peak season hot.
Songkran days are undoubtedly the family days and, if possible, families leave the big cities to spend time with their families and pay respect to recognition of all he has done for them. The traditional greeting is’ Sawadee Pi Mai ‘, which means “Happy New Year.”
As the heat intensifies in Thailand, once a month is April, Thai ancestors were wise enough to initiate the Songkran Festival as a way to cool off the heat, celebrating the Thai New Year at the same time. In the central region Songkran is usually held on the 13, 14 and 15 April, while east activities starting on 18 and April 19 as “Wan Lai” (Flowing Day) Jomtien Pattaya and hold their feast on 19 with activities such as water pouring for the elderly, processions and the fun of soaking each other with water, foreigners are not escape a first goal.
Main Events
* The construction of mini pagodas sand
* Bathing rituals images of Buddha
* Lustral pouring scented water over the hands of the Elderly
* Songkran parade, cultural performances and presentations
* Beauty Contest
* And of course dousing water.



