The world’s BIGGEST water fight happens in Thailand - and YOU could go this year
SIAN MEADES Apr 11, 2016 Express.co.uk
SONGKRAN, Thai New Year, is all about new beginnings. And that’s celebrated with everyone drenching each other with water.|
Thai New Year takes place 13-15 April, coinciding with the Buddhist/ Hindu solar calendar. The Songkran festival also marks the start of summer.
The holiday is primarily about new beginnings and washing away bad luck and sins from the previous year.
Younger family members will often wash the hands of elderly members of their families and bright colours are worn throughout the holiday.
Families reunite and those living away from home will return for the festival.
Spring cleaning takes place in every house across Thailand, with everyone ensuring that their house is ready for the new year.
Of course, like a lot of large festivals, celebrations have evolved over the years and for most people Songkran is all about the water fights. Thousands of people take to the streets ready to get properly drenched.
Rather than just a bit of a splash about, people take their water pistols, jugs and Super Soakers, all set to fight and get soaked to the skin.
Don’t think you can escape a soaking if you’re in Thailand over this weekend, even passers-by will get a dousing, whether they wanted to or not.
The Ching Mai water parade is the largest part of the celebrations and statues from local temples are carried through the streets. Crowds of people are encouraged to pour water over the legs of the Buddha statues.
Huge streets are closed throughout cities and there’s even warning of drought in Bangkok as the festival approaches and there’s a 9pm water-throwing curfew on this year’s festival.
But the regulations aren’t going to stop the festivities and even elephants get involved in the water fights.
Songkran is now the world’s biggest water fight so there’s no avoiding the soaking, the best thing to do is grab a water pistol and get involved. It’s the most fun way to cool off.