Songkran Festival is the Thai traditional New Year taking place on April 13 of every year. On this day, the younger people will visit their elder relatives with a metal bowl floated with colorful petals, scented candles and “a small branch of pomegranate tree” for sprinkling over elderly persons to express their good wishes. Most of elderly persons will bless them back and give them a handkerchief or some mascots in return. As soon as the people finish their auspicious ceremonies and their lunch, they will prepare their water containers and scented powder in front of their houses in the hope of gently pouring water over those who pass by and bless each other. Songkran Festival has existed for thousand years and the Thai people presently adhere to what their elderly relatives did in the past. Most of those youngsters under 20 only perceive that the festival is the festive day to spray water and powder on whoever passes by. This is the day that boys can spray water on their favorite girl. Hua Hin Songkran Festival starts early in the morning with alms offering to Buddhist novices as the local tradition. At home young people pour water on the hands of the elderly and ask them for blessing. At around 2pm local villagers take part in the Songkran Parade on Naresdamri Roadl. They are lead by the representatives of the Fishing Village Club. In the evening all of the people gather together on the beach to watch games such as tug-of-war, Mon Son Pha (the game of hiding cloth at one’s back and run to your place when he knows that cloth is left behind him) and so on. One of the most amusing games is the “Tee Chab” which is played by dividing two teams with a single line to indicate each safety zone. Each team must try to touch any members of the opposite team as many as possible by saying “Rrrrrrr…” without stopping while touching others in opposite zone. When you nearly run out of “Rrrrrr…..”, you must get back to your zone as quickly as possible to prevent from being touched by the opponents. The team left with the most members would win this game. |