Thailand is the only country I have lived in where they celebrate three New Years - 1st January, Chinese and Thai. Truth is that the last New Year is the best. Thai New Year, or Songkran Festival, is celebrated 13 to 15 April. It is the country's major, annual holiday time and best known as the Thai water festival with its major water fights in the streets. It is quite incredible. The country stops to throw water at each other and they love it.
I have a theory. In such a disconnected world, throwing water at each other is one way of connecting. So it could be named as Songkran - the Festival for Connecting in a Disconnected World. Crowds of adults throng in the street to spurt water at each other with water pistols. It is a huge social phenomenon that attracts a good share of international tourists, who come to play with water pistols in the street. How does one explain such social behaviour?
Is it the need to connect in some way or the need just to let go and have fun, or a bit of both, or something else? In a tightly controlled society, like Thailand, control goes out the window for three days and people are free to let off some steam. Or is it something deeper? Is it the human need to be with others and simply enjoy being with them?
My experience tells me control does not work. The human spirit can't be dampened by outside forces, of whatever nature or source. Having fun is good. Add these three simple statements together and are you nearing an unstated, social contract that allows Songkran to become the mass phenomenon it has become? If Songkran is an annual social experiment in fun, what is it saying about the people and their society? Is this a manifestation of the human bonds necessary for social cohesion? You have to move beyond indulging in this fun event to discover any deeper meaning or message that resonates for the remaining 362 days of the year and understanding better My Bangkok.
Happy Thai New Year!.
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