International Life: FPT GBI Celebrate traditional Songkran Festival

Joining the Songkran Festival – one of the most important traditional holidays in the land of the Golden Temple, GBI members gathered and experienced a very exciting weekend, full of vitality. Please follow FSOFTers at FPT GBI to learn about the unique features of this festival!

Immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the festival, FSOFTers in Thailand had the opportunity to experience long-standing traditional activities that are unique to this country. Along with that, the members also donned colorful costumes, prepared their water guns, and got ready for a spirited “water battle” to welcome an “explosive” new year. The refreshing and exhilarating moments were captured by the FSOFTers themselves who participated in this festival through joyful and lively photos.

Originating from the Song Phra ceremony – a ritual of bathing Buddha statues with fragrant water to pray for good luck and express reverence, the Songkran Festival has undergone a remarkable transformation over 1300 years. From its sacred beginnings, the Thai people gradually incorporated the water-splashing tradition into the festival. This practice symbolizes the washing away of misfortunes from the past year and welcoming the new year with joy and hope.

The beginning of the festival, Wan Sungkharn and Long Wan Nao days, are the first two days when residents spend time cleaning homes and preparing delicious food for the upcoming festivities. On Wan Payawan, the first day of the new year and also the most important time of the festival, Thai residents will go to the temple to offer food and clothing, clean the temple, and sprinkle scented water for blessings. This is also the time when the Songkran Water Festival officially starts, and people come together to splash water on each other to cleanse themselves of misfortune and wish for good luck in the new year. Instead of the traditional costumes often seen at traditional festivals, Thai citizens choose to wear colorful clothes and splash water on each other on the streets with buckets, bowls, and water guns, creating a lively festive atmosphere.