Religious rites, rice festival, lots of water flow in weekend Songkran finale

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After a week of water-based warfare, Pattaya brings its annual Songkran celebration to a close this weekend with official “Wan Lai” events in Naklua and Pattaya.

Each day begins with a modicum of tradition, with 90 monks from Jittapawan Temple assembling at Lan Po Park at 7 a.m. April 18 for religious ceremonies, followed by a parade through the neighborhood. Citizens also paid Songkran respects to 44 community elders.

After a week of water-based warfare, Pattaya brings its annual Songkran celebration to a close this weekend with official “Wan Lai” events in Naklua and Pattaya.After a week of water-based warfare, Pattaya brings its annual Songkran celebration to a close this weekend with official “Wan Lai” events in Naklua and Pattaya.

Saturday, similar ceremonies play out at Chaimongkol Temple at 7:30 a.m., followed by a Songkran parade down Second Road to Central Road, back along Beach Road and returning to the temple.

The water-splashing fun then kicks off officially at 8 a.m., with Beach Road closed until 8 p.m.

Songkran comes to a quieter close on Sunday, when annual rice festivals will be held at Lan Po Park in Naklua and Nongyai Temple in Banglamung.

The Naklua rice festival, which starts at 5:30 p.m., features  games including slingshots, seaside Muay Thai, “little girls falling in water,” and oily post climbing. A concert from leading Thai country music artist Yinglee Srijumpol caps the evening.