Adventures in South East Asia

34 ~ Songkran parades

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Ideally, I would have slept off my hangover and had the rest of the day to relax. However, April 13th marked the start of Songkran and the final morning I had booked at the blissful guesthouse. Songkran also meant the water fights and drenching would be out in full force. I had set my alarm for eight and set about water proofing my bags and making sure all valuables were tucked far in the middle. I grabbed the bike I had rented a few days ago and set off on my mission.

I was mostly okay until the small streets came. There I smiled at the families and children with buckets full of water and large eager grins. I pointed to the front side of my body saying "tee-nee" to indicate splash here. By the time I got to the hostel, my front was pretty wet, but people respected the bag. I stuck it in storage there and then got subsequently drenched as I hopped on my bike to catch a few more hours of rest at my former guesthouse.

Since essentially all my friends had hopped on flights and buses down south to our favourite little island escape, I had the whole day to spend on my own, hung-over and embarrassed. It took sheer willpower not to find a flight or bus down to party on the island with them. Part of me screamed 'no, look where drinking got you yesterday. You're only alive on pure chance'. Another part of me just smiled and whispered 'you know you love beach partying'.

The more stubborn and logical part of my brain won out. By late morning, I finally had enough energy to face the world again. I chatted with the guesthouse worker who wondered what the heck I was doing still there when Songkran was happening. I felt bad he was stuck working, but he did get off for the day at one that afternoon.

I armed myself with a poncho, my smaller backpack and the water gun to make the bike ride down to my new guesthouse once again. It was as if I was preparing myself for battle out there. I made an effort not to initiate any splashing, but retaliated when it came my way. Most people were good sports and didn't spray at my bag, only protected by a thin layer of plastic. Thank you disposable (at the users' discretion) Indonesian poncho.

Later in the afternoon, after finding the section where hundreds if not thousands of Thai people were lining the streets near the canal, fetching water and flinging it or shooting their guns, I came across a parade more representative of traditional Songkran values. 

Songkran was a new year's festival throughout Thailand and some other South East Asian countries. It coincided with the return of the end of dry season and symbolized a new beginning. All the water works symbolized cleansing and washing away of the past to start fresh.

I imagined water was traditionally placed over a person's shoulder with a gentle splash. A variety of substances from soap to baby powder to flour were slopped on strangers' cheeks to also show that cleaning power. Throughout the days, the solutions were gradually washed away. Some Thai people did the same to their vehicles too.

I kept walking until I found a good place to stand. Processions of Thai people came down the street. Some were groups of young men dancing in cultural dress. Others featured young women with their hair swept up and wearing red traditional dresses. Their makeup had to be waterproof given the fact that they were squirted and splashed regularly but remained posed and beautiful, the Thai way.

Thai men and women walked the sidewalks with buckets and cups of water infused with flowers and herbs for sale. I didn't quite grasp the meaning until a pickup truck drove up in the parade with a large golden Buddha statue in the back. People of all ages went up as it slowed to pour this holy water of the Buddha and recite prayers. Some even had their own water bottles full of it. I wasn't sure if it was disrespectful to shoot a water gun at them so I chose not to partake, also because I didn't know the prayer.