Songkran - Thai New Year water festival, April 13-15, and how Thailand observes it
Songkran is the Thai New Year water festival on April 13-15. Celebrated across Thailand, Laos (Pi Mai), Cambodia (Chaul Chnam Thmey), Myanmar (Thingyan), and the Shan / Dai / Tai diaspora. Public holiday in Thailand. Mass water-throwing tradition reflects Buddhist and Brahmanical roots.
Cultural celebrationPublished October 10, 2026
- Observed in
- Where observed in 4 countries
- When
- April
- Frequency
- Same date every year
- Days off
- 0 days - cultural observance only
- Public status
- Cultural observance - not a legal public day
Songkran on April 13-15 is the Thai New Year water festival. It is the largest celebration in Thailand and is widely observed across the Tai / Shan cultural sphere in Southeast Asia.
The one-line summary
Thai New Year water festival on April 13-15. Public holiday in Thailand, Laos (Pi Mai), Cambodia (Chaul Chnam Thmey), and Myanmar (Thingyan). Mass water-throwing reflects Buddhist and Brahmanical roots.
Origin
Songkran is rooted in the Hindu-Buddhist calendar and the traditional Southeast Asian New Year. The name Songkran comes from the Sanskrit sankranti, meaning passage or transition (of the sun between zodiac signs). In the original Indian astronomical system, each month has a sankranti marking the sun's entry into a new zodiac sign; the April sankranti (Mesha Sankranti) was the traditional New Year in many parts of South and Southeast Asia before calendars diverged.
The water tradition has multiple roots: Buddhist ritual bathing of Buddha statues and pouring water over the hands of monks; the Brahmanical tradition of sprinkling water on elders to wash away bad luck; and a regional practice of throwing water on passersby as a sign of good fortune. In Thailand specifically, the tradition was layered onto the older New Year observance by the Sukhothai Kingdom (13th-15th centuries) and institutionalized during the Ayutthaya period (14th-18th centuries).
Regional variations across Southeast Asia
Songkran is observed across the Tai / Shan cultural sphere with different names and slightly different dates. In Laos, the festival is called Pi Mai (literally "New Year") and runs April 14-16. In Cambodia, it is called Chaul Chnam Thmey ("Enter New Year") and runs April 13-16. In Myanmar, it is called Thingyan and runs April 13-16. In the Shan State of Myanmar and in Yunnan's Dai autonomous prefecture in China, the festival is observed with local variants.
Cambodia's Chaul Chnam Thmey is the most distinct of the regional variants: it includes a special ceremony called Moha Sangkran, in which the angel of the year is invited to bring prosperity. The festival is anchored at Wat Phnom in Phnom Penh, where the city governor hosts a public celebration. Laos' Pi Mai includes the Nang Sangkran procession in Luang Prabang, with elaborately decorated floats.
City-by-city breakdown
Bangkok is the largest Songkran celebration by sheer population density. The main streets - Silom Road, Khao San Road, and the area around CentralWorld - draw hundreds of thousands of water-throwers each day. The BTS Skytrain system typically runs extended hours, and the MRT subway serves as a refuge for visitors seeking to escape the water-throwing on the streets.
Chiang Mai is widely considered the spiritual center of Songkran. The old city moat is the focal point, with residents and visitors throwing water from the moat banks and from pickup trucks. The traditional Songkran in Chiang Mai includes the Phra Buddha Sihing procession and bathing ceremonies at major temples. Pattaya and Phuket host large beach-town celebrations with extended water-throwing on the beachfront roads.
How it is observed
The three-day festival unfolds as follows. Day 1 (April 13, Wan Songkran / Maha Songkran): traditional ceremonies including alms-giving to monks and the symbolic washing of Buddha statues. Day 2 (April 14, Wan Nao): family gatherings, temple visits, and merit-making. Day 3 (April 15, Wan Thaloeng Sok, the official New Year): merit-making and the central water-throwing day. Throughout the three days: mass water-throwing on streets with buckets, water guns, and high-pressure hoses.
The traditional acts include washing Buddha statues at temples with scented water (nam ob), pouring water on the hands of elders (rod nam hua) for blessing, applying white powder (din sor pong) to faces as a sign of respect, and releasing caged birds and fish (a Buddhist merit-making practice). Modern mass water-throwing on the streets is the addition that has spread globally with Thai tourism.
Legal status
Songkran is a 3-day public holiday in Thailand (April 13-15). Government offices, banks, and most businesses close. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) closes. The festival is also a public holiday in Laos (Pi Mai, 3 days), Cambodia (Chaul Chnam Thmey, 3-4 days), and Myanmar (Thingyan, 3-4 days).
Safety and environment
The mass water-throwing is associated with elevated traffic accidents and alcohol-related incidents. The Thai government runs an annual road-safety campaign ("7 dangerous days") during Songkran week, with checkpoints and enforcement; despite this, Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reports hundreds of traffic deaths during the festival each year. Foreign visitors should expect to get wet; electronics should be sealed in plastic bags.
Some communities observe a "Dry Songkran" version that omits the water-throwing on the streets and focuses instead on temple ceremonies and family gatherings. This is more common in conservative Buddhist communities and in areas with severe drought. Environmental concerns about water usage have led some cities to use recycled or non-potable water during the festival.
Where it is contested
Songkran is broadly accepted. Discussions center on traffic safety, alcohol consumption, and the environmental impact of water usage in drought-affected years. The tourism industry's marketing of Songkran has raised questions about whether the festival's traditional religious elements are being overshadowed by commercial water-fight tourism.
Songkran by the numbers
Sources
- Tourism Authority of Thailand, "Songkran Festival": tourismthailand.org
- UNESCO, "Songkran in Thailand" (inscribed 2023): ich.unesco.org
- Wikipedia, "Songkran": en.wikipedia.org
- Related: Loy Krathong (the second major Thai festival of the year, in November).
History of Songkran
Songkran is the Thai New Year festival celebrated on April 13-15, with the date determined by the traditional solar calendar. The festival is also celebrated in Myanmar (Thingyan), Cambodia (Chaul Chnam Thmey), and Laos (Pi Mai Lao), as well as among Thai diaspora communities worldwide.
The name "Songkran" derives from the Sanskrit saαΉkrΔnti, meaning "passage" or "transition." The festival originally marked the sun's passage from Pisces to Aries in the astrological calendar. Modern Songkran is centred on water-throwing, temple visits, family gatherings, and the symbolic washing away of bad luck from the previous year.
Songkran rituals
Songkran is marked by water fights in the streets, with participants using water guns, buckets, and hoses. The water-throwing is symbolic of cleansing and renewal. Other traditions include bathing Buddha statues, applying white powder (din sor pong) to faces as blessings, and visiting family elders to pay respect.
Songkran is a public holiday in Thailand. The festival has become one of Thailand's most important tourism events, with millions of visitors travelling to Thailand each April to experience Songkran in cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya.