Organiser ThaiBev along with The Tourism Authority of Thailand and other partners celebrate the Thai New Year with Water Festival 2023 in six provinces across all four regions of Thailand, starting this Thursday and running until Sunday.
This 8th edition comes with a full line-up of activities to experience culture and keep cool in the heat of summer.
The Bangkok locations are Wat Phra Chetuphon, Wat Arun, Wat Rakhang, Wat Kalayanamitra, Wat Prayurawongsawas, Maharaj Pier, Yodpiman River Walk, Asiatique The Riverfront, Lhong 1919, Sook Siam@Iconsiam and Guan Yu Shrine in Klong San area.
Among Songkran activities in the capital will be a Chao Phraya River procession of Buddha images from five royal temples on Thursday at 2pm, a holy water "tunnel", Buddha bathing ritual, community market and entertainment. Free shuttle boats will be available at each of 11 piers from 8.30am to 5pm on all four days.
The festival also takes place in five other provinces to emphasise diverse cultural traditions and unique local identities.
- In Chiang Mai, Ancient Chiang Mai House on Charoen Prathet Road will present Lanna cultural activities including a sacred bathing ceremony of Buddha images from nine temples, workshops on Lanna crafts, food fair featuring local Lanna cuisine and contemporary dishes, a marketplace, northern-style cooking contest and a Lanna dialect speaking contest.
- In Lamphun, Wat Phra That Hariphunchai will host a grand procession of sacred relics, a youth music festival as well as choral performance, and a wind ensemble procession at various landmarks around the city.
- In Udon Thani, in addition to Buddha bathing ceremony a family bathing ceremony will be held to ask for blessings from elders, and also a cultural procession at Sa Kaeo Temple and Ban Chiang cultural heritage village.
 In Khon Kaen, tourists can help preserve original Isan Songkran traditions by offering alms, bathing Buddha images, building sand pagodas and ensuring their bad luck is warded off with aid of a sacred ceremony. Visitors likewise can enjoy Lum Muan traditional dance at Chai Sri Temple.
- In Phuket, festival visitors can offer alms to monks at Mai Khao Temple on Thursday and shop for community products at CharterMarket, as well as enjoy street art in hidden corners of Phuket Old Town on Saturday and Sunday.
