Songkran - Thai New Year

Nadstar
Nadstar
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Songkran - Thai New Year

  • February 12, 2004
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Nadstar from Phuket, South Africa
Songkran - Thai New Year

It is only two more months until the Thai New Year is upon us. It is a three-day public holiday the country over, and each morning starts with an early-morning visit to the temple to provide offerings to the monks and to receive blessings. Then the younger generation pay respect to their elders in the family by presenting them with wreaths of deep purple orchids and fragrant jasmine garlands. The elders return this respect by sprinkling a slightly milky liquid over the young person's head and splashing some scented talc on their cheeks.

Once the formalities of the morning are over - that's when the real fun starts. It doesn't matter where you are in Phuket, the streets are crowded with smiling and cheering people. Preferably arm yourself with a high-power water gun; pay the extra bit because a gun that flails in the first hour of the day's activities might put a damper on things (excuse the pun). Each restaurant or pub along the streets of Phuket Town will be lined with industrial-sized tubs filled to the brim with ice-cold water, for you to throw at the passing vehicles and open vans. But don't think you're immune to the drenching...everyone is out to get the next one.

From journal Planet Phuket

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