Songkran, the Thai New Year, officially runs from 13-15 April, and it is associated with lots of water! The traditional gesture of pouring water on elders’ hands (as a blessing and to wash away past misdeeds and misfortune) is much more gentle that the zealous water fights you see on Bangkok streets. Kids are very much welcome to join the latter, but do keep some tips in mind.
1. Avoid crowds and the Songkran hotspots such as Silom, CentralWorld and Phra Nakorn (Old Town). These turn into huge, raucous parties and may be too rough and raunchy for youngsters.
2. Have kids wear comfortable, quick drying clothing such as rash guard tops, boardshorts and flip flops. Also, don’t forget waterproof sunscreen!
3. Seal your phone, cash and credit cards in a waterproof bag (readily available for sale during Songkran).
4. For safety reasons (despite the fact that everyone is doing it), teach kids not to splash water at moving motorcyclists or shoot water into people’s faces. Also, as a gesture of respect, do not throw water at monks and the elderly.
5. If you go out onto the streets during Songkran with your children, prepare to get soaked and/or have aromatic powder rubbed on your faces. It’s just part of the fun! If this isn’t your thing, no worries — stock up in advance or order in.
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Above image from http://www.paperplanesblog.com.
