One of the best and most memorable times to visit Thailand of the year is the Thai New Year, Songkran Festival. Songkran Festival, also known as the traditional Thai New Year, is usually celebrated in mid-April, depending on the lunar calendar. This is one of the most striking, grandiose and important events in Thailand.

The Songkran Festival is a time when family and friends gather to express gratitude to the elders and visit temples for prayer and offerings. Thais love to have fun, and the New Year is one of the most important holidays for them. Songkran literally means "to pass or enter." Depending on the region of Thailand, the celebration can last from 3 to 10 days, because the New Year begins in each province on its own day, starting from the northern regions towards the south.

In order not to harm the New Year, according to tradition, the day before the holiday, all houses are completely cleaned. The Songkran Festival is a period when Thais splash water on themselves, which they believe will cause heavy rainfall in the coming year. Water is used to cleanse these bad things and is also a symbol of fertility. Thais would not be Thais if they did not allow themselves an additional prank: often the water is icy or very cold. It's more fun to watch the reactions of the people you water.
Another ritual that characterizes Songkran is coating with white clay or talc. It is believed that if a person smears you, then he wishes you happiness. Usually, in response, people make a characteristic gesture with their palms folded at their chest, towards each other (wai) and say Kapun-kaaa (cap for men), which means: "thank you." So they run, with a giggle and hooting, shooting everyone around with water pistols or cannons, with a bag of clay under their arm. The atmosphere is incredibly positive. It's no secret that Thais are like children at any age, and so, in Songkran, every Thai lets out his inner child and lets him break away from his soul.

During the Songkran celebrations in Thailand, there is a huge number of entertainment events, concerts, competitions and parades. The whole country plunges into a chaos of fun and positive, absolutely everyone celebrates, regardless of age and social status. If you are a tourist, a foreigner (farang), the Thais will surely involve you in their fun, share clay and show you from which vat you can draw water for the most important weapon of the Songkran battle - a water pistol. Dousing, music, dancing last around the clock, without interruption.
Be sure to stock up on waterproof cases for your phone and money with credit cards. During this period, there is no chance to stay dry on the street.
Compared to other festivals in Thailand, Songkran is considered the best.