SONGKRAN

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During Songkran festival, the water fights are the more famous activities. But other traditional activities do happen such as giving respect and blessings to parents, monks and older people.

Daughter paying respect to her mother by washing her feet.

Granddaughter paying respect to her grandmother by pouring water on her hands.

Daughter paying respect to her mother by giving jasmine flowers to her.

Son paying respect to his mother by pouring water on her hands and giving blessings to her.

The whole family is being reunited for the important Songkran festivities.

During Songkran festival, fairs are organized in Buddhist temples. The fair can happen during the day or the night. People visit temples and make good deeds. They do also visit fair temples to have fun also as various entertainments do happen there.

This Songkran Thai reveller is wearing old style traditional clothes during the yearly festival.

Songkran revellers wearing old traditional clothes during Songkran festival. "RAM WONG" dance (รำวง) is still happening in those Buddhist Thai temples during Songkran festival.

Those Songkran revellers are wearing old syle traditional clothes during the festival. Those clothes are called เสื้อคอกระเช้า.

This Songkran reveller is wearing old style colorful traditional clothes during the festival. Wearing a flower motif shirt is also very popular during Songkran festival.

During Songkran festival, fairs are organized in temples. The fair can happen during the day or the night. People visit temples and make good deeds. They buy holy water to purify the Buddha statues.

Thai boxing matches are very popular. Majority of viewers are male. Thai boxers can be young boys who are ten years old.

In the temple surroundings many shops are installed. Many events (music concert, Thai boxing, movies) happen in order to get money for temples.

In Buddhist temples, outdoor movies sessions happen at nightime and do attract many people. Don't expect to see new movies.

In Isan area, "MOLAM" concerts (หมอลำ) are very popular with local people. In other provinces, it shall be "LIKAY" theaters (ลิเก) or "LOOK TOUNG" music concerts (ลูกทุ่ง)

Those concerts are often free. But if famous Molam stars are singing, a fee entrance has to be paid.

In year 1998, during Songkran festival, a cultural conflict between foreigner and Thai happened when a wife of a north European diplomat slapped the face of a little Thai boy because he threw water on her evening dress. The wife had to excuse her-self to the little boy family. The minimum to know when you are a diplomat is to know the cultural backgrounds of the country that hosts you.