Events in Bangkok

Loy Krathong - A Siamese Festival To Celebrate The Goddess Of Water 

Loy Krathong takes place at the full moon of the 12th lunar month, which is usually in November. A krathong is a Thai term that refers to a piece of banana trunk decorated with flowers, banana leaves, a candle and incense sticks, and the word loy means to float. Onto these little rafts Thai people will often place fingernail or hair clippings before lighting the candle and floating the krathong out onto a river, canal or lake. The belief is that the bad things that have happened in the past year will float away, and good fortune will be ushered in. Another purpose of the Loy Krathong festival is to pay respect to the river spirits, and specifically Phra Mae Khongkha, the Goddess of Water.
 

Festive Countdown Celebration - New Year's Eve in Bangkok 

On New Year's Eve, from Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok walk along Langsuan to the Ratchaprasong Intersection, where Bangkok’s biggest countdown party is held every year in front of the city’s biggest shopping mall, CentralWorld. 

There is a large stage with DJs, local and international artists performing from the late afternoon onwards, and on the huge screen at the mall is displayed the countdown. The fireworks display at CentralWorld is the biggest and most spectacular in Thailand, lasting for about 15 minutes. 

In front of the mall there is a beer garden and snack stalls, with service provided by young staff who wear flashing headbands and sport sparkly sunglasses. After the countdown is over, wander back to Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, and the start of a new year.
 

Songkran Festival - Celebration Of Thai New Year (Water Festival) 

Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year national holiday, falling on 13 April every year, but the holiday period extends to 14 and 15 April. 

Songkran represents purification and the washing away of one's sins and bad luck, the name itself coming from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘passing’, or ‘transformation’. It is a time of unity, and people who have moved away usually return home to their loved ones and elders. Paying reverence to ancestors is an important part of the Songkran tradition. 

The celebrations are rich with symbolism. Mornings begin with merit making, when Thai people visit their local temples and offer food to the Buddhist monks. Cleansing water is poured onto Buddha statues, and the young and elderly of the community are anointed with water. Houses are cleaned, and birds and fish released. 

The holiday is known for its water festival, Thailand's most famous festival. Good-natured water fights take place in the streets, with buckets and squirters, and as this is the hottest time of the year, no one minds being soaked. Many places have a Miss Songkran parade, and concerts and other staged events take place throughout the country. 

Visitors to Thailand enjoy taking part in the water fights. The best places in Bangkok for water activity are Silom Road, Khao San Road, and Sanam Luang.