Splish, splash - It’s time for Songkran

Lock and load, Songkran is coming! The annual Songkran festival, which heralds the traditional beginning of the Thai New Year, begins this weekend throughout the country. The 5-day holiday begins Friday, April 12 and runs through Tuesday, April 16, when most banks and government offices will be closed. Many currency exchange booths, however, will remain open. Locally, the official celebrations take place later next week, on April 18 in Naklua and April 19 in Pattaya.

Phasakorn Channgam
Songkran is here and Pattaya officials have set the final schedule for official observations of the Thai New Year.
Activities begin April 18 with the Naklua “wan lai” water-throwing festival. Religious services will begin at Lan Po Park at 7 a.m., followed by alms giving to 99 monks at 7:45 a.m. At 9 a.m., ceremonial water will be sprinkled on a Lord Buddha statue and the elderly. The annual Buddha parade will proceed around Naklua Market beginning at 10 a.m.

Four people on a single motorcycle, including 3 children, and not one person wearing a helmet - all making for a good example of what NOT to do during the Songkran holidays.

Pattaya takes its turn April 19, starting with alms giving at 7:30 a.m. At 8:30 a.m., ceremonial water will be sprinkled on a Lord Buddha statue and the elderly. Musical performances will begin at 10 a.m. The city’s Buddha parade will attempt to roll up Beach Road to the Dolphin Roundabout and back to Chaimongkol at noon.
Pattaya officials plan to station fire trucks, portable toilets and other facilities along Beach Road, which will be closed to normal traffic from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Police officers and volunteers will be scattered throughout the various areas to provide security and facilitate convenience for citizens using the road.

Pattaya Beach Road will be packed on April 19, so don’t even try to drive there.

The annual rice festival closes out Songkran week starting at noon April 20 in Naklua. The day begins at noon with sports contests, including Muay Thai boxing, slingshots and oily-post climbing. The rice ceremony begins at 6 p.m. with a “ghost parade” and country music concert by Blueberry and Kung Suthirat following.
Another rice festival also will be held at Nong Yai Temple at 6:30 p.m.
Pattaya traffic inspector, Pol. Maj. Col. Sanchai Thinwongdaeng announced, “Pattaya will be very strict on drinking and driving, and will enforce all traffic rules, starting with wearing helmets, wearing safety belts, reverse driving, and not obeying red lights. There will be 3-4 check-points set up around town. Checkpoints on Sukhumvit Road will be watching for high-pressured water guns, which will be confiscated immediately. Soft-chalk must be used with precaution, citizens must not dissolve cold powder in water to play with others or molest anyone. Anyone having work or business or wanting to tour the city on Wan Lai must check the routes and plan well ahead of time, since on this day, there will be large numbers of cars entering and exiting the city and it would be best to avoid all unnecessary travel.”
All of us at Pattaya Mail urge you to drive carefully during this entire time, and be prepared to get wet unexpectedly and at any time whilst walking, especially in and around the entertainment areas.

Naklua parade route map. The parade will take place on April 18 from 10 am onwards at Lan Po Park.

Pattaya City parade route map. The parade will take place on April 19 from noon onwards at Chaimongkol Temple.

Schedule : Naklua Wan Lai 2013 Thursday 18 April 2013 at Lan Po Park, Naklua 7.00 am. - People gather at Lan Po Park 7.30 am. - Chairperson arrives and pays respect to Buddha image - 9 monks perform religious rites 7.45 am. - Alms giving to 99 monks 8.30 am. - Shows from students / community members 9.00 am. - Buddha image water sprinkle - Elderly water sprinkle 10.00 am. - Buddha image and flower floats start at Lan Po Park (proceeding around” Naklua) Schedule : Pattaya Wan Lai 2013 Friday 19 April 2013 at Chaimonkol Temple, South Pattaya and Beach Road 07.30 am. - Alms giving to the monks 08.30 am. - Buddha image water sprinkle - Elderly water sprinkle 10.00 am. - Traditional sport competitions 12.00 pm. - Buddha image and floral floats starting at Chaimonkol Temple (according to the plan) Schedule : Pattaya Rice Festival 2013 Saturday 20 April 2013 at Lan Po Park, Naklua Traditional sport competitions 12.00 pm. - Slingshot competition 01.30 pm. - Trakaw basket - Sea boxing - Greasy pole climbing 03.00 pm. - Other games and completions 05.00 pm. - The program finishes Rice Festival (Kongkhao Ceremony) 06.00 pm. - Students shows 06.30 pm - Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon gives a report - Pattaya Mayor Ittiphol Khunplome marks the opening of the ceremony 07.10 pm - Rice Festival Ceremony - Pattaya Mayor worships deities and gives ceremonial speech - Deities parade - Deity blesses people joining the event - Ghosts parade comes to eat the donated food - Ghost representative conveys thanks to people for the food - Firecracker lit to chase away ghosts - Pattaya Mayor, officials, people dancing around a pile of rice stack - (The ceremony finishes) 08.00 pm. - Thai country music concert 12.00 am. - Pattaya Rice Festival Finishes Similar ceremony of Nong Yai Temple Rice Festival starts at 06.30 pm. at Nong Yai Temple Traditional sport competitions, Pattaya Rice Festival Saturday 20 April 2013 at Lan Po Park, Naklua 1. Slingshot competition 1. Competitor Public : subscribe at the event 2. Categories and prizes General : subscription fee 50 baht - Winner prize 5,000 baht honor trophy - 1st runner-up 3,000 baht honor trophy - 2nd runner-up 2,000 baht honor trophy - 3rd runner-up 1,000 baht honor trophy - 4th runner-up 500 baht honor trophy Team : subscription fee 50 baht - Winner prize 5,000 baht honor trophy - 1st runner-up 3,000 baht honor trophy - 2nd runner-up 2,000 baht honor trophy Youth aged under 13 years old : free subscription - Winner prize 1,500 baht honor trophy - 1st runner-up 1,000 baht honor trophy - 2nd runner-up 500 baht honor trophy 2. Trakaw basket 1. Competitor - 5 teams 2. Prizes - Winner prize 5,000 baht honor trophy - 1st runner-up 4,000 baht honor trophy - 2nd runner-up 3,000 baht honor trophy - 3rd runner-up 2,000 baht honor trophy - 4th runner-up 1,000 baht honor trophy 3. Audience result prediction The audience with the closest result (score) prediction will be awarded. 3. Sea boxing 1. Fights in 4 weight classes; - Weight under 30 kg. - Weight between 30.1kg. - 40 kg. - Weight between 40.1 kg. - 50 kg. - Weight above 50 kg Note: only 16 competitors each class, no age limit 2. Prizes (of all class) - Winner prize 3,000 baht honor trophy - 1st runner-up 1,500 baht honor trophy Prizes for participating (of all class) - First round (16 people) 100 baht - Semi-final round (8 people) 200 baht - Final round (4people) 500 baht Note: Upon the competition rules 4. Greasy pole climbing - Subscribe at the event - 5. Other completions - Subscribe at the event

Splish, splash - It’s time for Songkran

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