Travel on public holidays and weekends, particularly to popular destinations, should be booked well in advance for all modes of transport. This is especially true during the Songkran and New Year holiday period.

THAI-LAO SONGKRAN FESTIVAL

Date: April 6-18, 2008.
Venue: Chom Mani Beach, Mekong River at Wat Pho Chai, Nong Khai
• See the procession of the Thai-Lao Buddha image Luang Pho Phra Sai paraded around the city of Nong Khai. Join in blessing and being blessed by the governor and the elderly people. Enjoy the sand chedi building contest, Miss Songkran procession, gay beauty contest, Mekong fish cooking contest, Nong Khai souvenir contest, local sports competition, swimming across the Mekong River, folk shows, and of course, the fun of being drenched with water on a hot sunny day.
• Contact TAT Northeastern Office: Region 4 (Nakhon Phanom), tel: 0 4251 3490-1

THAILAND GRAND SONGKRAN FESTIVAL

Date: April 6-22, 2008.
Venue: Ratchadamnoen Avenue, The Royal Ground (Sanam Luang), in front of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Office, Santichai Prakan Park, Phluppla Jetsadabordin Park, various temples on Ko Rattanakosin (Wat Phra Kaeo, Wat Suthat, Wat Pho, Wat Boworn, Wat Saket, Wat Rakhang, Wat Kanlayanamit, Wat Arun, Wat Chanasongkhram), Khao San Road, Phra Athit Road, Bang Lamphu
• The Thai New Year is celebrated with a water pouring festival. It can range from the gentle sprinkling of water over the hands of old people to the enthusiastic, goodnatured water-throwing that crowds of young people always enjoy. At the grand opening ceremony of the festival, the procession of the revered Buddha image Phra Bhuddha Sihing to Sanam Luang will be televised live throughout Thailand and via www.songkran.net to the world. Buddhists make merit at this time by worshipping at nine royal temples. Building elaborate chedi out of sand is another festival activity, with traditional games and cultural shows. The International Miss Songkran Beauty Contest will be held at Khao San Road, and the Classical Thai Miss Songkran Beauty Contest of the Wisut Kasat and Phra Athit communities at Santichai Prakan Park.
• Contact the Events Promotion Division, TAT, tel: 0 250 5500 ext 3489

DOK KHUN SIANG KHAEN FESTIVAL AND STICKY RICE STREET

Date: April 8-15, 2008.
Venue: Si Chan Road, Muang Distrist, Khon Kaen
• Enjoy the water splashing on Si Chan Road also known as Sticky Rice Street; see the procession of the floral floats, paying homage to the elderly and receiving their blessings, buy local OTOP products, see Isan cultural shows and enjoy typical Isan food. To mark the festival the city area will be decorated in Lanna style.
• Contact TAT Northeastern Office: Region 3 (Khon Kaen), tel: 0 4324 4498-9

HAT YAI MIDNIGHT SONGKRAN FESTIVAL

Date: April 11-13, 2008.
Venue: Niphat Uthit Road, Sanehanusorn Road, Hat Yai
• Join the Songkran procession, watch local sports, the International Miss Songkran Beauty Contest and local forms of entertainment such as Pong Lang Sa-on. Join in the Songkran water fun at nighttime until midnight, with tourists from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and further afield.
• Contact TAT Southern Office: Region 1 (Hat Yai), tel: 0 7423 1055

CHIANG MAI SONGKRAN FESTIVAL

Date: April 11-15, 2008.
Venue: All around Chiang Mai (Wat Phra Sing, Tha Phae Gate, and around the Chiang Mai City moat)
• The Songkran Festival in Chiang Mai lasts for three days. The first day, April 13 is the time for people to purify their, mind, body, home and surroundings. April 14 is a day of making merit in various ways, such as offering sand to the temples, building sand chedi, and friendly water splashing. April 15 is the time to listen to the monk’s sermon, give wooden poles to support the great Bo tree, perform the bathing rite for Buddha images and monks, enshrine the ashes of their ancestors, release birds and fish, pay respect to elders and ask for their blessing, as well as splashing water on one another. The city area will be decorated in Lanna style to welcome the festival.
• Contact TAT Northern Office: Region 1 (Chiang Mai), tel: 0 5324 8604

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT SONGKRAN FESTIVAL

Date: April 11-15, 2008.
Venue: Si Thamma Sokarat Park, Sanam Na Muang, I-suan Hall
• Celebrate the Thai New Year by taking part in bathing the Phra Bhuddha Sihing image, visiting the six sacred temples, listening to a monk’s sermon, watching the mini light and sound presentation, the Miss Songkran procession and demonstrations of swinging to Phra I-suan, as well as other exciting local activities.
• Contact TAT Southern Office: Region 2 (Nakhon Si Thammarat), tel: 0 7534 6515

PHRA NAKHON SI AYUTTHAYA SONGKRAN FESTIVAL

Date: April 13-15, 2008.
Venue: Around Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
• At this Thai New Year festival in the old capital of Ayutthaya there will be worshipping at nine sacred temples, bathing of the Buddha image of the old city of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, making merit by giving alms to monks, releasing birds and fish from captivity, and paying homage to the elderly. Visitors can also enjoy splashing water with elephants, watching the Miss Songkran Beauty Contest, and joining in the grand procession of Miss Songkran.
• Contact TAT Central Office: Region 6 (Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya), tel: 0 3524 6076-7

NAKHON PHANOM SONGKRAN AND LAO NEW YEAR FESTIVAL

Date: April 13-15, 2008.
Venue: Sai Thong Sri Kottabun Beach, Muang District; Phra That Phanom Wara Mahawihan, That Phanom District; and Renu Nakhon Municipality, Nakhon Phanom
• Join in the ceremony of bathing the monks and the chedi; join in making the sand Buddha image to bless people with good health. See the ceremony of tying the sacred string around 2,000-year-old chedi in the Mekong River revered by the people of Thailand, Lao PDR. See the pha pa ceremony for the Sri Kottabun Chedi dedicated to His Majesty the King. See the Thai noodles known as khanom jeen being prepared and enjoy their taste, and watch colourful local performances.
• Contact TAT Northeastern Office: Region 4 (Nakhon Phanom), tel: 0 4251 3490-1

SONGKRAN: THE WATER FESTIVAL ON THE BEACH

Date: April 13-15, 2008.
Venue: Patong Beach, Phuket
• See the procession of Phra Bhuddha Sihing, the Songkran parade and the Young Kids Songkran Contest, then enjoy the water fun along Patong Beach.
• Contact TAT Southern Office: Region 4 (Phuket), tel: 0 7621 1036

BANG SAEN WAN LAI TRADITION

Date: April 16-17, 2008.
Venue: Bang Saen Beach, Muang District, Chon Buri
• This ceremony of the people of Tambon Saensuk is based on the original wan lai tradition that brings people together to make merit during the Songkran Festival. Activities include inviting the monks of the area to conduct religious rites. The people will give water to the monks, build sand chedi on the beach, play traditional games, and pay homage to the elderly, then enjoying splashing one another with water along the clean, white Bang Saen Beach.
• Contact TAT Central Office: Region 3 (Pattaya), tel: 0 3842 7667

TRADITIONAL PATTAYA LAI FESTIVAL

Date: April 18-19, 2008.
Venue: Pattaya Beach and Wat Chai Mongkon, South Pattaya, Chon Buri
• Local people come together to make merit in several ways at this annual festival. They build chedi out of sand, give water to monks and pay respect to elderly people. The fun part includes a Songkran procession, cultural shows, the Miss Songkran Beauty Contest and joyfully throwing water at one another along the beach at Pattaya.
• Contact TAT Central Office: Region 3 (Pattaya), tel: 0 3842 7667

SI RACHA SONGKRAN FESTIVAL AND RICE HEAPING CEREMONY

Date: April 19-21, 2008.
Venue: Ko Loi Public Park, Si Racha District, Chon Buri
• See the traditional rice heaping ceremony, Thai art and cultural shows, local folk games, a light and sound show, local dishes and desserts, a procession to bathe the Buddha image, a sand chedi building contest, and the Miss Songkran Beauty Contest. In addition, there will be the essential feature of Songkran festivities, high-spirited splashing of water.
• Contact TAT Central Office: Region 3 (Pattaya), tel: 0 3842 7667

MON SONGKRAN FESTIVAL

Date: April 18-20, 2008.
Venue: Phra Pradaeng District Office, Samut Prakan
• See the grand procession of flags and floral float procession with young women in the traditional costumes of the Mon people, traditional Mon games, releasing birds and fish from captivity, making merit by giving alms to the monks, and paying respect to elderly people. There is also the Miss Songkran Beauty Contest and a Pretty Boy contest as well, and the traditional water throwing festivities the Mon style.
• Contact TAT Central Office: Region 8 (Nakhon Nayok), tel: 0 3731 2282

This information may be subject to change, so please check it once more before travelling by calling TAT call Centre 1672 or 0 2250 5500 ext 3489 or visit www.tat.or.th/festival www.songkran.net