Songkran, the Thai New Year?s festival, is probably the most celebrated holiday in Thailand. Westerns and Thais alike know it as the days almost all of Thailand breaks out in huge water fights. Pickup trucks carrying big buckets full of ice-cold water and celebrating adults and children prowl the streets looking for a showdown. The water play and subsequent wet clothing are a welcome relief from Thailand?s hot summer months.
Being my first Songkran in Thailand and with all the built up anticipation, my friend and I decided to participate in 4 different days of Songkran. The holiday is celebrated during different days in each province so all-out-water seekers (or overly energetic farang) are able to attend one after another by traveling to different cities. First was Bangkok?s Khao San Road, then the Thai beach resort and college town of Bang Saen, Si Racha, and finally the infamous Pattaya.
Khao San Road tops the list followed by Pattaya, Bang Saen, and Si Racha. The festivities in Bangkok weren?t city-wide but in the backpackers area of Khao San the area was packed with Thais and backpackers enjoying the holiday. Unique to the other Songkran celebrations was the closure of roads making for a more relaxed and safe environment. Pattaya gets a thumb down only because of the way too numerous farang looking only to cause havoc and embracement with their ridiculously cold water and overpowered water devices. Bang Saen was mostly pick-up truck to pick-up truck water wars and Si Racha has a nice after-Songkran festival with music, a beauty pageant, shop vendors, and food stalls.
By the end I was all songkran?ed out?but I?ll be ready next year!