how is new year celebrated in thailand


In common with the rest of the world, December 31 sees parties and fireworks at locations around Thailand as the clock strikes midnight and the New Year is ushered in. History of Songkran Festival Thailand’s Chinese population is significant – roughly six to nine million Thais are ethnically Chinese. It is not only one of the most popular festivals with the people of Thailand but also attracts tourists from around the world. Source Celebrations for the Chinese New Year are spread across two to three days. A woman takes a selfie with Chinese Lunar New Year decorations at a mall in Bangkok, Thailand Credit: EPA As a public holiday, Chinese people get seven days off work for the celebrations. Best Places to Experience Chinese New Year in Thailand 1. Seeing in the Thai New Year means a constant festive feel, with parades, music, shows, people out on the streets and more happening all of the time. Visit Thailand during the three-day festivities known as Songkran, and you’ll be blasted with water and covered in grey talc. This festival is celebrated for 3 full days every year in April and you'll find it is celebrated in some areas even longer than that. The word "Songkran" comes from the Sanskritword saṃkrānti, literally "astrological passage", meaning transformation or change. The biggest, although not necessarily the best, is in Bangkok with the area outside Central World taking centre stage. The word Songkran is derived from the Sanskrit work samkranti, which means astrological passage.It is a traditional Buddhist festival, and it is usually celebrated between 13 and 16 April unless the dates are modified by an official government announcement. Christmas and New Year decorations outside Central World, Bangkok. The answer is ‘yes’. Although Thailand uses the Western calendar, it does so alongside the traditional Thai calendar which is 543 years ahead of its Western equivalent. This year is the Year … During religious services for New Year, ceremonial white thread, known as sai sin, is tied to a Buddha image before being passed through the hands of monks and then on to the congregation. sai sin and making merit for New Year at Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai. Thailand Covid-19 (coronavirus) travel advice: Can I fly to Thailand? For times during which the festival is held, check the internet. It also celebrated the annual nationwide Chinese New Year … Every year Dec 31st is marked as a day of celebration across Thailand like other countries in the world. Leave the camera and mobile phone at home unless they're waterproof or protected from water damage. New Year ‘Countdown’ events are hosted at venues around Thailand on New Year’s Eve. This year, the Thai government has announced an official holiday for Chinese New Year for the first time on February 12th, 2021. Feb 15. Where: Chinese New Year is celebrated throughout Thailand, but the epicenter is in Bangkok's Chinatown. By THE NATION. Songkran Day or Thailand New Year is one of the biggest events in Thailand each year. This area’s narrow, bustling alleys are always a fun and exciting place to explore. The first is Maha Songkran or New Year’s when people begin to prepare themselves for the New Year. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner. The Thai people pour water over each other as a symbol of washing away all of their sins/bad and starting the new year fresh. It coincides with the rising of Aries on the as… It is also known as the "Water Splashing Festival". Thailand amp Cambodia. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. It was the official Thai New Year until 1888 and was changed to January 1st in 1940. Water flying through the air, thumping music, and an excess of brightly-coloured floral shirts can only mean one thing – it’s Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year. The eve of Chinese New Year is the time to pray and pay respect to ancestors. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Chinese Lunar New Year's Day in Thailand Chinese New Year is the first day of the New Year in the Chinese calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar. Yaowaraj, Bangkok The Chinese New Year is celebrated all across Thailand, but the biggest celebrations take place in Yaowaraj which is the Chinatown of Bangkok.It is one of the most popular gatherings for this festival and major roads are cordoned off from traffic. Lunar New Year in Thailand is, like in other Chinese communities around the world, a family reunion time. The Songkran Festival is a holiday that starts on April 13th every year in Thailand and celebrates Thai’s New Year. Thai people have been celebrating the 1st of January as the first day of the year for almost 70 years. And if there’s one thing the Thais know how to do, it’s celebrating. By using our site, you agree to our. In 2019, the holiday was observed 12–16 April as 13 April fell on a Saturday. Watch out for ice water - this can really wake you up! Sawatdee Pii Mai: Happy New Year. A lot of people asked me if Thai people celebrate New Year like the rest of the world as the traditional Thai New Year is on 13 th of April known as ‘ Songkran ’. And in the north of Thailand, Chiang Mai is one of the most popular destinations for Thai and overseas tourists to welcome in the New Year. People usually eat a lot on this occasion. Yasmin helps her mother cook. On Songkran, generally, people will go back to their hometowns to meet their families and participate in traditional activities such as going to temples and Rot Nam Dam Hua, a traditional celebration of elders. This is also when families enjoy dinner together at home. Full Moon Parties. Continue to 5 of 8 below. And then in April there is the most eagerly anticipated holiday of the year, Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year. This article has been viewed 29,785 times. The New Year is a long holiday in Thailand from 31st December to 3rd January. In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system today, New Year occurs on January 1 (New Year's Day).This was also the first day of the year in the original Julian calendar and the Roman calendar (after 153 BC). Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is based on the ancient Chinese Lunar Calendar and is equivalent to today’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. How is Chinese New Year in Thailand Celebrated? New Year celebration is a joyous activity that invites mindfulness and the discipline to practice it every day. This year is the Year of the Ox and it will be celebrated … Buddhists in Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Lao unite to welcome the New Year in April, whilst Tibetans traditionally celebrate one month after the Mahayana New Year. So the year 2018, for example, may also be shown as 2561 B.E. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. That much is clear with the fact that Thailand doesn’t just celebrate New Year once, it does so on three separate occasions. Thais love to celebrate the New Year Holiday and organize new year parties. Ranked as the 7th best place to celebrate new year’s eve in the world, the Bangkok Countdown is the best of Thailand’s new year party.The decade-old legend celebrates with live worldwide broadcasts, high-energy concerts, magical fireworks, and pyro artworks. As midnight approaches on December 31, candles are lit, monks chant and prayers are offered as people wish for good luck for the year ahead. Thailand & Cambodia ... during the celebration of Khmer New Year as well as upcoming Chinese New Year, which will be celebrated this … Many people will enjoy the New Year parties, but it’s also a time when Thai Buddhists visit the temple to make merit. Chiang Mai puts on a memorable display with a mix of the old and the new in the form of traditional dance performances, pop music concerts and fireworks all accompanied by the backdrop of thousands of sky lanterns released throughout the evening. This is because Thailand is a majority Buddhist country and the year in which the Buddha died, or entered Nirvana, is believed to be 543 B.C. It falls somewhere from late January to mid-February on the Gregorian Calendar. Everyone wears white, which, according to African-Brazilian traditions, brings peace for the coming 12 months. Families spend these days together and pay … The Chinese New Year, which usually falls in January or February, is also celebrated by many Thais. Yasmin dresses up in a traditional Thai outfit for the festivities. Also, they are very easy to pickpocket during the festivities and large crowds. Wear cheap or unwanted clothes when out because you are going to get coated in water and powder! The Songkran Festival is a national holiday in Thailand. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. It is also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year. And then in April there is the most eagerly anticipated holiday of the year, Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year. This article has been viewed 29,785 times. It marks the beginning of the Thai New Year. Girls- guys will try to get grabby, so don't be afraid to slap or push away any hands that get too close for comfort. You can observe one of Songkran’s more formal rituals on Wan Nao as it’s on this day that many Buddhists go to their temples to build sand chedis (a sand castle built to resemble a Buddhist temple). Every year is represented by a zodiac animal sign. Tuesday December 29, 2015 by Mod 3 Comments. Although celebrations continue all April, the ‘New Year’ is split into three parts—April 13-14-15 of every year. Getty Images/Stephen J. Boitano. 2021. In 2018 the Thai cabinet extended the festival nationwide to five days, 12–16 April, to enable citizens to travel home for the holiday. This year, the Thai government has announced an official holiday for Chinese New Year for the first time on February 12th, 2021. Lunar New Year - A Uniquely Asian Celebration. Songkran is the Thai New Year's national holiday. New Year is the time or day at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count increments by one. This area’s narrow, bustling alleys are always a fun and exciting place to explore. Chinese New Year Fourteen per cent of Thailand’s population are Chinese. The ceremony commemorated the 46th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Thailand. Though Thailand now adheres for all practical purposes to the western calendar running from January to December, Songkran is still celebrated as the traditional new year period in mid-April. Due to this, Chinese New Year is celebrated throughout the country where colours of red decorations are aplenty at homes and in public areas. Tibet. 05 of 08. With Chinese New Year, one of the most exhilarating Thailand celebrations can be witnessed in Yaowaraj – the official Chinatown of Bangkok. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 29,785 times. Chinese New Year 2020 Date: Saturday, January 25 (Year of the Rat) 5 Best Places to Visit during Chinese New Year in Thailand in 2020. Songkran is famous for its water fights, but there's more to the celebration than simply getting drenched © … % of people told us that this article helped them. The day is annually and widely celebrated among Chinese people and Thai people of Chinese descent, which are a large amount of the Thai population, as it was a time for family reunions, remembering ancestors, bidding farewell to the old days, and ushering in the new … Makha Bucha Day Makha Bucha is an important Buddhist holiday that falls on the full moon day of the 3rd lunar month. To create this article, 16 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Thai New Year is an exciting combination of water, water fights and Buddhist rituals. Thai people have been celebrating the 1st of January as the first day of the year for almost 70 years. Songkran is on the 13 April every year, but the holiday period extends from 14 to 15 April. Thai cuisine is pretty spicy. But that isn’t the end of the New Year festivities for Thailand. But that isn’t the end of the New Year festivities for Thailand. Songkran has a more serious side to it; it carries a message about keeping our environment in a clean shape and it is about cooperating together to achieve this with clean houses, clean public areas, clean temples and clean official buildings. Wan Nao is the celebration of the old Thai New Year’s Eve and takes place on April 14th when the sun travels between Pisces and Aires. Songkran Day One: 13 April. What started decades ago supposedly as a small party among friends has morphed into possibly the largest beach party in the world. Songkran is Thailand’s biggest holiday and is celebrated throughout the country as the traditional New Year’s Day. In Thailand the Water Festival, or Thai New Year, is celebrated in the middle of April, not on the first of January. To create this article, 16 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. The New Year is also celebrated in other countries which have significant Chinese populations, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, … By donating money for the upkeep of the temple and food for the monks, Thai Buddhists believe they earn merit which helps them in the next life. The chanting of the monks and the associated merit is then symbolically passed along the thread reaching all of the people in attendance. Yasmin helps her mother cook. In Thailand, Chinese New Year is a public holiday in Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Satun provinces only. There is a semi-strict dress code for New Year in Brazil. Last Updated: 29th November, 2019 23:14 IST New Year In Thailand: Here Are Some Of The Most Fascinating Ways To Celebrate The Event If you are planning to celebrate new year in Thailand, then here is all you need to know to pick the best new year party in Thailand. 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\n<\/p><\/div>"}, Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow, People throwing water on each other and putting powder on each other's faces. New Year’s Eve in Brazil follows a script: there is a large evening meal with friends or family, followed by a raucous party on the beach, in the country or in major town squares. Thailand’s Chinese population is significant – roughly six to nine million Thais are ethnically Chinese. It isn't a national holiday, but with a Chinese population of over 7 million in the country, it is widely celebrated in Thailand. With a reputation for being easy-going and liking life to be sanuk, Thai people welcome any opportunity to party and have fun. The festival usually lasts until the 15th of April. Read more about the Thai New Year and find out where you can experience Songkran here! A number of fascinating opportunities exist to show how countries celebrate it, through unique destinations and cultural differences. The Chinese New Year hits big in Chinatown, Bangkok, with fireworks, parades, lion dances, and special foods. Next is Wan Nao or the ‘middle day.’ Lastly, Wan Thaloeng Sok or ‘New Year’s Day’ is the Songkran Festival. Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. There will also be the biggest water fight imaginable! wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Considering how April temperatures in Thailand can break 30 degrees Celsius, it’s no surprise the Thai New Year celebrations involve a countrywide water fight! The seaside resort of Pattaya is another location famous for its New Year parties and firework displays, but visitors will also find Countdown events going on at various locations around Thailand. With Chinese New Year, one of the most exhilarating Thailand celebrations can be witnessed in Yaowaraj – the official Chinatown of Bangkok. Advice for Guests Invited to a Thai Wedding, Thailand Weddings: Advice for Foreign Couples Getting Married in Thailand, The Marble Temple: Wat Benchamabophit, Bangkok, Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden, Chiang Mai. It’s a fun day with friends and family, filled with eating, gift-giving and celebrating. In Thailand the Water Festival, or Thai New Year, is celebrated in the middle of April, not on the first of January. Visiting Bangkok during Songkran can be really pleasant as many people have deserted it to head back to their country region homes and families for celebrations. While Chinese New Year isn’t a public vacation in Thailand, Bangkok’s Chinese communities usually take at least 1 day off from work to enjoy time with family and friends. Many people take this opportunity to travel either domestic or abroad. The Chinese New Year, which usually falls in January or February, is also celebrated by many Thais. The holiday lands on a different day each year according to when the first new moon appears in the lunar calendar. The answer is ‘yes’. Where: Chinese New Year is celebrated throughout Thailand, but the epicenter is in Bangkok's Chinatown. Songkran lasts for three-four days of celebration. Coinciding with the dry season, Songkran, which literally means “to pass, to move into” both symbolically and practically acts as a refreshing start to the year. Thailand’s northern capital has always been a hotspot for festivals and holidays, and New Year’s Eve is no exception. When: Dates change annually, but Chinese New Year usually falls in January or February. It always falls on January or February, however, and Lunar New Year 2020 is celebrated in January. (Buddhist Era). Songkran is a Thai word which means "passage" as it is the day when the sun passes into the sign of Aries. The Mahayana New Year is celebrated for three days. This year, the Lunar New Year celebrations begin on February 12. Image Source. Thailand is the first entry on our list to celebrate its New Year in April to welcome in the rainy season. Sawatdee Pii … The date it is celebrated on is based on the Tibetan lunisolar calendar and is often different to the date Lunar New Year is celebrated elsewhere. The Chinese Lunar Calendar was started in 2698 BC, over 4,000 years before today’s modern Georgian Calendar was developed in the 1500’s. Though several countries throughout Southeast Asia observe this Lunar New Year celebration, Thailand’s wet and wild festivities have gained global attention with international travellers flocking to the kingdom to experience city-wide water fights. Learn more... Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year. But that isn’t the end of the New Year festivities for Thailand. And then in April there is the most eagerly anticipated holiday of the year, Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year. Due to this, Chinese New Year is celebrated throughout the country where colours of red decorations are aplenty at homes and in public areas. Lunar New Year is undoubtedly Asia's most famous cultural tradition. ADVERTISEMENT. Also called “Lunar New Year” or “Spring Festival”, this holiday is the first day of the year on the Chinese Calendar. The Tibetan Lunar New Year is called Losar. The Chinese New Year, which usually falls in January or February, is also celebrated by many Thais. Nearly 900,000 visitors tour the country during Lunar New Year February 12, 2021 Prince Bank Launched its special campaign — “The Four Blessings” to celebrate Lunar New Year 2021 The Chinese New Year holiday is celebrated all throughout the country, especially in Bangkok. Celebrating Songkran in Chiang Mai is a must if in Thailand during the Songkran festival. People usually eat a lot on this occasion. 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