30 | Culture Ways of Life and Wisdom
Northern Region
The New Year’s day in the northern region of Thailand is also called ‘Prapheni Pimai Mueang’,
starting from April 13th or ‘Wan Sangkan Long’ or ‘Maha Songkran’. It means the old year passes
by and the day that family members help each other clean their house for luck. The next day,
April 14th, is called ‘Wan Nao’, a day for maintaining auspiciousness by thinking and doing good
all day. The third day, April 15th , is called ‘Wan Phaya Wan’ or ‘Wan Thaloeng Sok’, starting from
offering food to monks, listening to sermon at monastery, pouring water to the elders (Rot Nam
Dam Hua) in the afternoon. On April 16th , or ‘Wan Pak Pi’, people will perform the water - pouring
ceremony to the abbot at various temples to show respects and ask for forgiveness. Finally,
on April 17th ‘Wan Pak Duean’ is for dispelling bad luck.
Northeastern Region
Northeastern people called the Songkran Festival ‘Thambun Duean Ha’ (the Fifth Month Merit
Making). They implement similar activities with a main focus on sprinkle water onto the Buddha
image, water - pouring the elders of the family to ask for their forgiveness, and ancestor worship.
Southern Region
According to the southern belief, Songkran is the time of changing the guardian angels of the
nation. Therefore, the first day of Songkran is called ‘Wan Song Chao Muaeng Kao’ or the day of
sending the old governor on April 13th, to perform a ritual of dispelling bad luck. The following day
is considered ‘Wan Wang’ or the day without the guardian angel, on April 14th. The villagers make
merit at the temples and sprinkle water onto the Buddha image. The last day is called ‘Wan Rab
Chao Mueang Mai’ or the day of having audience with the new governor on April 15th The new
angel will be welcomed by people with beautiful dresses, also to bid farewell Songkran Festival.
• Splashing cool water to each other in a gentle way helps reduce the heat of summer, add the enjoyment to the
Songkran Festival and strengthen friendship among the community members.
“Countries which share
the same Songkran
tradition with Thailand
are the Lao People’s
Democratic Republic,
the Kingdom of
Cambodia, the Republic
of the Union of Myanmar,
including people who
speak Tai language.”