BANGKOK, 12 April 2019: In Thailand and Laos the water festival is called Songkran, or simply Phi Mai (New Year) in Laos, while Myanmar’s famous “New Year “celebration goes under the heading “Thingyan”.
Cambodia calls this festival that literally celebrates entry to the New Year “Cyoul Chnam Thmey,” while the Dal people in Xishuangbanna in Yunnan province China the Water Splashing Ceremony is called “Pinyin.”
Whatever the name, citizens in these Southeast Asian nations and the Dal ethnic group in Yunnan province let their hair down and throw water at all things moving to welcome the traditional lunar New Year.
Give or take a day the holiday season starts in earnest 13 April and continues with great gusto until the evening of 15 April. But to be exact Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar permit water throwing from 14 to 16 April. In Thailand, Pattaya on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand celebrates the festival the following week starting 22 April, which also happens to be Easter Monday.
This year is a little different in Thailand, as the government announced the Songkran holiday would get underway Friday 12 April and run through to Wednesday 17 April. But the holiday mood continues as Thursday and Friday have been set aside for pre-Royal Coronation ceremonies 18 and 19th April.
This means Thailand’s commercial sector takes a holiday for an entire week.
So with a little planning Thais can enjoy a 10-day holiday spanning 12 April to 21 April (two weekends combined with five working days).
Thailand’s major tourist destinations, excluding Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son that are still smothered under a blanket of hazardous smog, should enjoy a boom in holiday bookings for more than 10 days in a row.
The anticipated spike in bookings will be partly due to Thais exploring beach resorts in their own country, but there will also be a sizeable intake of international travellers from around Asia who will pack their bags for long weekend travel for the annual Easter holidays, 19 to 22 April.
Travel Advisory
The smog covering North Thailand is hazardous to health and travellers are advised not to visit these destinations this month. There has been no let-up in air pollution and experts say the health hazards will continue until the rainy season begins in May.
If you are not obliged to travel to North Thailand for business or trips to visit relatives choose one of Thailand’s beach destinations that can guarantee clean air and a refreshing healthy holiday. Believe me when we say Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai are the last places you should visit until the smog clears we are not exaggerating the risks or the disappointment you will experience when you arrive in these two destinations.
