The Tourism
Authority of Thailand (TAT) is announcing details of the 2016’s Songkran
celebrations and the special activities including the “Songkran
Splendours: The Procession of Three Kingdoms” grand opening ceremony to
be held in Bangkok on 10 April, 2016. It is expected that this year’s
Songkran celebrations will be the biggest ever staged in the kingdom.
Mr. Visanu Jaroensilp, TAT Deputy Governor for Tourism
Products and Business said, “The grand Songkran celebrations arranged for
2016 will be the biggest to date, as we want to give visitors a true
taste of how the Thai New Year festival is celebrated in different parts
of the kingdom and how these celebrations have changed over time.
"The
opening ceremony in Bangkok will showcase Thailand’s cultural diversity
and the heritage of each region so that Thai and foreign visitors can
plan their trips accordingly and choose where in Thailand to celebrate.”
The grand opening ceremony of this year’s Songkran
festival; namely, the “Songkran Splendours: The Procession of Three
Kingdoms”, will be held on 10 April, from 15.00 – 18.00 Hrs., and will go
through some of the most historic parts of Bangkok, starting from the
Maha Jesadabordin Royal Pavilion through Ratchadamnoen Avenue to the
Nagaraphirom Park on Maharaj Road.
The parades will showcase some of the cultural elements of
the unique Maha Songkran processions while telling some of the stories
and myths behind the Thai New Year. Spectators will have the chance to
learn how the Songkran celebration has changed over the years and from
region to region.
The Procession of Three Kingdoms will showcase the
glory of the Kingdom of Rama III and celebrate wondrous creatures from
Thai mythology as depicted on the walls of Wat Pho.
The Kingdom of Rama V
the Great procession will focus on 13 April, which is known as the
Songkran Day in Thailand and celebrate its traditions. Finally the
Kingdom of Rama VII procession will showcase how Songkran celebrations
have spread around the world.
Following the three-kingdom processions, there will be a
colourful parade of Songkran traditions from five regions of Thailand.
Representing the North is Lampang’s Salung Luang, where Buddha images are
paraded around the streets to bring blessings.
From the Northeast is the
procession of ‘Dok Mai’ trees, which are made in the grounds of Loei’s
temples and decorated brightly with flowers and bells to celebrate
Songkran.
From the Central Region will be a cultural procession from
Ratchaburi that celebrates the ancient culture and traditions of
Thailand’s Mon people.
The Eastern region’s offering will be a parade of
Si Maharaja Rice towers from Chon Buri province, built to propagate the
gods at New Year. Finally from the Southern region will be a Nang Dan
procession from Nakhon Si Thammarat, which celebrates the three main gods
of the Hindu pantheon.
The “Songkran Splendours: The Procession of Three
Kingdoms” event will open into the nationwide celebration of Songkran.
TAT will be giving its support to stage grand events in several major tourist
destinations including Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Kanchanaburi, Sukhothai,
Chiang Mai, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri,
Nong Khai, Chon Buri, Khon Kaen, Phuket, Songkhla (Hat Yai), and Surat
Thani (Ko Samui).
Mr. Visanu said, “TAT has also launched a campaign to
promote Thainess and water saving during this year’s Songkran
celebration. We are encouraging both the Thai people and our visitors to
join us in upholding the true taste of how Songkran is celebrated
traditionally.
This includes making merit and listening to temple
sermons, purifying or bathing Buddha statues, and pouring water onto the
hands of elders to show respect and seek their New Year blessings.
We would also like to urge revellers to wear proper attire
or traditional Thai costumes or fabric, and to just sprinkle scented
water over each other instead of throwing water aggressively or using
high-pressure water guns. We believe this will help engage everyone to
collaborate in helping to preserve Thailand’s unique cultural heritage
for years to come.”
TAT expects the 2016 Songkran celebration to attract 2.64
million travellers, including 2.14 million Thai (up 2 per cent) and
495,000 foreign travellers (up 26 per cent), and generate 15 billion Baht
for the Thai economy, representing a year-on-year increase of 18 per
cent.
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