Ibrahim Jabbari
Unlike other countries that celebrate it in the New Year on January 1, in Thailand the trend is different. Songkran, or Thai New Year, is the most important Buddhist festival.
The celebrations take place between April 13 to April 15.
Derived from Sanskrit, Songkran means “Astrological Passage,” and marks the movement of the sun from Pisces to Aries. Initially, the dates for the festivities were set by Brahmin priests, but now the dates are fixed.
Songkran marks the end of a 12-month cycle and ushers in a new solar year. The dry season ends and the annual rains in the fifth month of the Thai lunar year begin.
