Mae Hong Son is unique in its natural surrounds, art and culture, and traditions. It is noted for its Poi Sang Long (ordination of novices in the Thai Vai or Tai) tradition that has its root in the Buddhist belief of the thai Yais who founded the town in 1831. It is believed that assisting in It the ordination of novices (generally aged 10 years and above), who are pure of heart, brings the greatest merit to the practitioner.

Of interest are the Khrueang Thai Than and Sang Long processions, the Klong Yao and Klong Mong Soeng processions, and Thai Yai art and cultural shows.

More detail: http://www.tat.or.th/festival

The festival was conceived as a means to preserve and highlight Chiang Mai's art and culture. Lanna Tradition Fair at the Lanna Tradition School, Poi Sang Long at Pa Pao Temple, local artists' exhibitions, local puppet shows at the Chiang Mai Puppet Concert Hall, Concert at the Three Kings Monument, cultural tour, and local produce fair.

More detail: http://www.tat.or.th/festival

Traditionally, the locals would go up to the Phanom Rung Temple for alms giving and to worship the imprint of Buddha's foot on the 15th  night of the waxing moon in the fifth month.

The Phanom Rung Temple is a large temple on top of a mountain (Phanom translates to Mountain, and Rung translates to vast, therefore Phanom Rung C translates to large mountain). It is a religious site built in the Saivite Brahmin style set on top a mountain, 360 meters above sea level. According to records, the temple was built by Hiranya, who dedicated it to his sadhu father, Narenthrathit, in the reign of Suryajvarman II. The structure's construction is dated between 1078 and 1178 C.E. in the same period as the Phimai and Phanom Wan Temples of 1080-1106 C.E., in Nakhon Ratchasima.

When the Khmer Empire was centred at Yasotharapura, there existed a city called Mahitharapura that had established relationships with it. Each city had its own ruling dynasties which were related to each other; Athittayawong in Yasotharapura and Chantharawong in Mahitharapura. While Suryajavaman killed his uncle in battle, the latter's wife, Phupatinatharlakshmi Devi and son, Narenthrathit, were spared. Narenthrathit was said to be a handsome man, well-liked by the female sex, skilled in archery, being able to shoot an arrow on target without looking, and brave enough to hunt down an elephant, cut its head off, throw it into the river, turning it into a sea of blood. For his own safety, he renounced the world and became a sadhu (holy man), building Phanom Rung.

The construction took into account astrological aspects, and was built so that the Sun's ray would beam through all fifteen doors of the temple in a straight line, with small intersections, on the 15th day of the waxing moon in the 5th month.

As time passed, Phupatinatharlaksami Devi, missing her son and grandson, left Yasotharapura for Phanom Rung with Chariya, her Lady-in-waiting, and entourage in attendance. She constructed statues of celestial bearers in all 10 directions in worship of all the gods in the universe. She also gave 10 cows and 100 goats to the sadhu Narenthrathit.

The main attraction of this festival is the fact that it is the only day when one can observe a single shaft of light going through all fifteen doors of the structure. There is the re-enactment of Phupatinatharlakshmi Devi Procession including Chariya, the lady in waiting, and entourage, together with the 10 bearer animals-swan, elephant, cow, rhinoceros, ,lion, peacock, naga, horse, raksot, and buffalo. Up to 1,000 people, in ancient Khmer costumes, would normally take part in the procession. Additionally, there is also the Great Temple of the Gods Phanom Rung light and sound show, and local fare.

For more information, please contact the Chaloem Phra Kiat District Tel: on the 1,5th 66 (0) 4462 8119.

More detail: http://www.tat.or.th/festival

You will see beautiful processions to sprinkle water onto the sacred Luang Pho Phra Sai at Wat Pho Chai. Join in the water splashing to celebrate the New Year. Watch Thai traditional sports. Visit our beloved elderly people and ask for their blessing. There’s also cultural activities and all kinds of entertainment on offer during the festival.

Contact : TAT Northeastern Office : Region 5
Tel : 0 4232 5406-7
Nong Khai Provincial Administration
Tel : 0 4241 2678
Website : http://www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

The tradition of setting Buddhist novices atop elephants in a procession around the village comes from the legend of Vessandorn (an incarnation of Buddha) in the Buddhist sutras. On the day Phra Nang Phutsadi gave birth to Vessandorn, Patchainakhen, the auspicious elephant, came into Chetudon, ensuring rain during the rainy season. It came to pass that 8 Brahmins from the neighbouring district of Kaningkarat sought relief from Vessandorn, who gave them Patchainakhen to alleviate the calamity. Vessandorn was then forced into exile in the Himalayas.

This legend sits well in the village of Hat Siao where elephants are raised to be hired out to haul logs in Phrae and Lampang. They only get to rest from work in April coinciding with the ordination festivities, and have been enlisted in the merit making ordination procession.

The ordination celebrations are planned a year in advance, when the parents of the monks or novices to be ordained (Chua Hua and Chua Ai) learn the ropes by helping with the ordination of other people's sons, and hinting to their own son(s)' ordination the following year. The abbott of Wat Hat Siao is advised of the names of those boys/men to be ordained the following year. The necessary equipments are bought. The elephants and the mahout are booked, the entertainment and band organized.

Three to four days prior to the celebrations, the host prepares his home, building necessary extensions and stages, elephant corrals for the beasts that would normally arrive in the evening of the Suk Dip Day (Half cooked) or in the early morning of the procession day. Banana flowers, bamboo, bananas and sugar canes are bought in to feed the elephants.

According to tradition, the Celebration takes place over two days-Procession Day and Ordination Day; three days if one includes the Suk Dip Day. The Suk Dip Day always fall on the 6th of April. The ladies of the house, dressed in local costume and carrying colourful umbrellas, would venture out in the morning to invite all to make merit.

The articles used in the ordination of novices amongst the Thai Phuan of Sukhothai differ from that of the central region in that it includes a Kruai Attha. This is a small loosely woven bamboo basket decorated with brightly coloured patterned cellophane, and contains bananas, cooked rice cakes, khao kiap wao (rolled rice crackers). There are two offering trays carrying rolled rice crackers, sweet sticky rice in banana leaves, sugarcane, bananas incense and candles, and Trai cloth; all of which serves to remind the novice of the things his parents had brought him up with.

Suk Dip Day is the day of greatest celebration.

The novice procession takes place after breakfast the following morning; after the novice's relatives take turns in shaving his head and eyebrows, bathe, and don a white long sleeve shirt with matching pha nung (sarong) (some prefer navy). His faced is also heavily powdered, and in some cases, he is also bejewelled. While the novice to be is cared for, his ride is also preened for the procession.

Once the novice to be and his elephant are ready, he puts on a hat and sunglasses, and gets onto his elephant. He then clasps his hand together with palms flat together. In between the palm he holds onto incense sticks, candles, and fresh flowers. Before the procession moves off, the host hands out straw hats (sprayed or with the novices name on it) to all those present. When the procession ends at Wat Hat Siao, Pho Thao (old man) helps the novice to be down from the elephant and leads him to worship at the spirit shrine on temple grounds, after which the novice to be is left with a piece of coloured paper with a naga engraved on the reverse. Once all the novices to be have gathered together, the procession, novices atop the elephants, continues into the temple grounds proper.

In general, the celebrations include preparation of the novice to be, elephant procession, taking the novices to the temple, religious ceremonies at the temple, and various festivities.

For more information, please contact the Si Satchanalai District Tel: 66(0) 5567 1466.

More detail: http://www.tat.or.th/festival

The word Songkran is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning “passing” or "moving" , measuring the movement of the sun through the twelve astrological signs beginning with Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces; each passing taking approximately 30 days through each sign. It takes a year for the sun to pass through all the signs. This calendar is in use in India and the Southeast Asian Nations that have been influenced by India-Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, etc.

The 13th is Maha Songkran day, the first day of the new year celebrations, when the sun moves from Pisces into Aries, and when the lengths of the day and night are equal.

-  Songkran is an important merit making period lasting three days, being
-  Maha Songkran Day, last day of the old year (13th)
-  Klang or Nao Day, New Year's Eve (14th)
-  New Year or Thaloengsok Day (15th)

The legend of the Songkran Goddess

There is a specific godness associated with each day upon which the Maha Songkran Day falls i.e. Thungsa, Khorak, Raksot, Montha, Kirini, Kimitha, and Mahothon for Monday through to Sunday, respectively. The goddesses are the daughters of the god Maha Songkran, otherwise known as Kabinlaphrom, who lost his head in a wager with Thammabankuman. They are tasked with carrying his head so that it would not touch the ground lest the earth were to be incinerated, or the air lest the rain not fall, or the oceans as they would dry and up. So each year, the goddesses each take their turn in carrying his head on a celestrial salver.

The tradition has long been celebrated in Thailand; the celebrations providing families with an opportunity to get together, allowing youngsters the chance to pay respect to their elders and for the elders to bless the younger members of the family. It is a time of community, friendship, and renewal of ties. The community also gets a chance to pull together in making merit and engaging in other activities such as building sand stupas, splashing of water, and general spring cleaning of the home and temples.

Giving alms, releasing of birds and fish, Nang Songkran procession, bathing buddha images, and seeking the benediction of family elders.

More detail: http://www.tat.or.th/festival

Songkran embodies traditional Thai cultural values. The underlying significance of Songkran is the process of cleansing and purification starting the New Year afresh with all that is good and pure.

Contact : Events Planning Division, Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tel : 0 2250 5500 ext. 3489
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

Experience the beauty of dok khun flowers in full yellow bloom throughout this northeastern province. Enjoy the water splashing of Songkran I-San style in the unique Sticky Rice Road (Thanon Khao Niao), as well as demonstrations and a contest for the most delectable local cuisine in the grand city of Khon Kaen. Also see beauty ox-cart processions decorated with beautiful flowers and a beauty pageant.

Contact: TAT Northern Office : Region 3
Tel : 0 4324 4498-9
Khon Kaen Municipality Office
Tel : 0 4322 4029, 0 4322 4032
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

Making merit to monks, bathing the Phra Phuttha Sihing Buddha images, Songkran processions based on Hinduism, a mini light-and-sound presentation titled Ramayana (an ancient Indian epix), cultural shows, an antique market, and water splashing fun.

Contact: TAT Southern Office : Region 2
Tel : 0 7534 6515-6
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

Partake in this ancient spectacle in Chiang Mai with merit-making activities, a procession of Buddha images and bathing rituals, the sprinkling of lustral water to seek the blessing of elders, sand-stupa building, folk games, Lanna cultural shows and water throwing.

Contact: TAT Northern Office : Region 1
Tel : 0 5324 8604, 0 5324 8607, 0 5324 1466
Chiang Mai Municipality Office
Tel : 0 5325 2478
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

Come and splash water to celebrate Songkran and see a pageant of beauty queens. Witness a breath taking procession. Enjoy the fire show, culture performances and all kinds of entertainment during the festival.

Contact: TAT Southern Office : Region 1
Tel : 0 7423 1055, 0 7423 8518, 0 7424 3747
Hat Yai Municipality Office
Tel : 0 7424 4777
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

Merit-making activities and an alms-giving ceremony. Bathing ritual of Buddha images, the releasing of fish and birds to make good karma. Watch the beautiful procession of the Miss Songkran beauty pageant, floral float procession and cultural performances.

Contact: TAT Central Region Office : Region 6
Tel : 0 3524 6076-7
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

Buddhist bathing rituals are performed in accordance with ancient customs and traditions. Scented lustral water is sprinkled over sacred sites such as the Phrathat Phanom stupa – the most sacred and ancient monument of the northeast and the landmark of Nakhon Phanom, holy footprint of the Lord Buddha in the middle of the Mekong River, astrological temples, and Buddha images, as well as plenty of monks.
Contact: TAT Northern Office : Region 4
Tel : 0 4251 3490-1
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

The traditional gentle sprinkling of water in temples and homes is still practiced, however, overzealous Thais and tourists alike have resorted to throwing water at any passerby that dares to venture out of their hotel. It is a splashy affair for all on the day, and generally a good way to beat the heat in what is normally the hottest month of the year in Thailand. Lately, many revelers have taken to adding talcum powder or flour to the water. The victims of this high spirited affair get a real whitewash.

Contact: TAT Southern Office : Region 4
Tel : 0 7621 1036, 0 7621 2213
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

An invitation is extended to monks from various temples to give blessings to different household. The sprinkling of lustral water to seek the blessing of elders. Water splashing is vital and a sand-stupa building contest. You can also see folk games, Miss Songkran beauty pageant and sports on this special occasion.

Contact: TAT Central Region Office : Region 3
Tel : 0 3842 7667, 0 3842 8750
Saen Suk Municipality Office
Tel : 0 3835 5353-9
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

Partake in various activities around Na Kluea, Wat Chai Mongkhon and South Pattaya like the alms-giving ceremony, other religious rituals, folk entertainment, folk games and water splashing.

Contact: TAT Central Region Office : Region 3
Tel : 0 3842 7667, 0 3842 8750
Pattaya City Office
Tel : 0 3841 0200
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

A religious ritual based around rice, light-and-sound presentation, folk games, local delicacy sales and water splashing.

Contact: TAT Central Region Office : Region 3
Tel : 0 3842 7667, 0 3842 8750
Si Racha Municipality Office
Tel : 0 3832 2281
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival

The Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival, formerly known as the ‘Pak Lat Songkran Festival’ , with the notable addition of a colourful and elaborate Songkran procession staged by the Mon, or Raman, residents of Phra Pradaeng. You will enjoy the Songkran procession of decorate floats and a procession of birds and fish. View the exotic game of “Saba” played by the Mon descendants. Also check out the Beauty Queen and King Pegeant.

Contact: TAT Central Region Office : Region 8
Tel : 0 3731 2282
Phra Pradaeng Municipality Office
Tel : 0 3841 0200
Website : www.songkran.net, www.tat.or.th/festival