Happy Songkran! Happy Thai New Year! Grab your buckets, turn on your hoses, fill those super soaker water guns and get ready to join in the fun of the BIGGEST water fight in the world!
Today, April 13th, is the first day of Songrkran, also known as the traditional Thai New Year or the water splashing festival. Coincidentally, it’s held during the hottest month of the year. Songkran is one of Thailand’s grandest and most important events that runs from April 13 to April 15, 2021.
The word Songkran is from the Sanskrit language and means the passage or transformation of the sun from one sign of the Zodiac to another. It’s a common and traditional practice that food is given to the monks as a sign that the holiday has begun.
It’s also considered a family day and a festival of happiness. It is Thailand’s way of life and their treasured legacy and heritage. It’s a time where the people who have moved to other towns and cities travel back home to be reunited with their families.
Everyone gathers together to show gratitude to their elders. Houses are cleaned and images of Buddha are dusted and sprinkled with water. Family members visit the temples for prayer and offering. It’s a happy time and an opportunity for celebration!
As a Songkran wish for this year, let the water wash us from this gloomy time and bless us with an abundance of good health, happiness and prosperity.
The most famous Songkran activity is throwing water at one another. It’s for this reason that it is often called the Water Festival or the biggest water fight in the world. The water is a symbol for the cleansing of spirit and body. It is also supposed to wash away the sins and bad luck from the past year.
Over the years the festival has turned into an all-out water war. People line the streets with buckets full of water, water hoses or super soaker water guns! The fun part…no one is spared, not even the onlookers, the tourists, the police force…no one! Not only will you get wet, you can expect to get SOAKED! Everyone!
Doesn’t this sound like a blast! What a way to ring in the New Year!
I have fond memories of my visit to Thailand. It’s a country rich in history, beautiful beaches, colorful temples, delicious street food, floating markets, elephants, Thai massages, festivals, treasured heritage and friendly people. It looks like I need to return in April to ring in the New Year, Thai style, with buckets in hand and the expectation that I will get soaked like everyone else!
This past weekend Amazing Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand hosted “Spring Into Songkran Splendors” and invited me to join in on the fun. The Zoom festivities were live from Chiang Mai and included an offering of Thai New Year blessings from the Baan Rai Kong Khing Community, a visit to Patara Elephant Farm and a cooking class with Chef Arnold Myint. What a wonderful celebration full of tradition!
Instead of throwing buckets of water on each other, we rang in Songkran by whipping up some traditional Thai food. After all, what’s a celebration without some tasty cuisine?
Celebrity Chef, Mixologist and Culinary Instructor Chef Arnold Myint taught us how to make Som Tom Thai, Gai Yang-Thai BBQ Chicken and Sticky Rice.
We learned about the different ingredients that are used to make authentic Thai food! The secret is the fish sauce, palm sugar and the dried shrimp. Our meal was unbelievably delicious! Tangy, sweet, spicy and sour! A whole lot of goodness in each recipe! So tasty!
I wish you a Happy Songkran or Happy Thai New Year!
