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Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Hwannaa/Dreamstime.com - Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Hwannaa/Dreamstime.com Learn about Songkran, a New Year festival in Thailand that is celebrated in April. [Celebrating Songkran, Thailand's Water Festival](https://www.britannica.com/video/Songkran-New-Year-Thailand/-195357) [](https://www.britannica.com/video/Songkran-New-Year-Thailand/-195357) - Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. What do Times Square, red envelopes, and 12 grapes have in common? [The Long History of New Year Celebrations](https://www.britannica.com/video/New-Year-festival-New-Years-Eve/-274432) [](https://www.britannica.com/video/New-Year-festival-New-Years-Eve/-274432) - Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz Hikers explore Khao Sok National Park, southern Thailand. [Trek through the Khao Sok National Park in southern Thailand](https://www.britannica.com/video/Hikers-Khao-Sok-National-Park-Thailand/-193377) [](https://www.britannica.com/video/Hikers-Khao-Sok-National-Park-Thailand/-193377) - Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Thousands of years ago, a monster named Nian prowled the Chinese countryside... [The Legend of Lunar New Year](https://www.britannica.com/video/Lunar-New-Year/-274942) [](https://www.britannica.com/video/Lunar-New-Year/-274942) - Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz Learn about elephant safaris in Khao Sok National Park, southern Thailand. [From hunter to protector in Thailand's Khao Sok National Park](https://www.britannica.com/video/elephant-safaris-Khao-Sok-National-Park-Thailand/-194410) [](https://www.britannica.com/video/elephant-safaris-Khao-Sok-National-Park-Thailand/-194410) - Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz Watch the people of Thailand celebrate the festival of Loy Krathong. [Celebrating Loy Krathong: Thailand's festival of lights](https://www.britannica.com/video/festival-people-Thailand-Loy-Krathong/-194409) [](https://www.britannica.com/video/festival-people-Thailand-Loy-Krathong/-194409) - Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2026: The Year of the Horse. [Discover the Myth Behind the Chinese Zodiac](https://www.britannica.com/video/discover-myth-behind-Chinese-zodiac/-275459) [](https://www.britannica.com/video/discover-myth-behind-Chinese-zodiac/-275459) - © Serge Pikhotskiy; https://vimeo.com/user4327884 ([A Britannica Publishing Partner](http://corporate.britannica.com/partners)) Time-lapse video of Thailand, including Bangkok, Phuket, and Sukhothai. [Experience the vibrant street markets, African elephants, and historic Buddhist temples of Thailand](https://www.britannica.com/video/Time-lapse-hyper-lapse-Thailand-Bangkok-Phucket-Chaiang-Mai/-241829) [](https://www.britannica.com/video/Time-lapse-hyper-lapse-Thailand-Bangkok-Phucket-Chaiang-Mai/-241829) - Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz Overview of the Chinese New Year, which begins with the first new moon that occurs between January 21 and February 20. [Traditions of the Chinese New Year](https://www.britannica.com/video/Overview-Chinese-New-Year/-193482) [](https://www.britannica.com/video/Overview-Chinese-New-Year/-193482) **Related Articles:** [Buddhism](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Buddhism) , [New Year festival](https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-Year-festival) , [Thailand](https://www.britannica.com/place/Thailand) , [Songkran](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Songkran) *** ## Transcript YASMIN: "Sava-tika, I'm Yasmin, I'm 11 and I come from Thailand. I am going to show you how we celebrate our new year. It's called Songkran, which means Water Festival." NARRATOR: Before the celebration begins Yasmin has to clean the house with her mother, because if your home is untidy at the new year you are in for a year of bad luck. In Thailand the Water Festival, or Thai New Year, is celebrated in the middle of April, not on the first of January. People usually eat a lot on this occasion. Yasmin helps her mother cook. Thai cuisine is pretty spicy. Yasmin dresses up in a traditional Thai outfit for the festivities. Her gown is one large piece of fabric and is called a sarong. In her homeland men often wear such garments too. YASMIN: "So, I'm finally ready, and now I have to hurry to pack something for the monks, after all, they'll be hungry too." NARRATOR: Yasmin is a Buddhist - like most other people in Thailand. In the temple Yasmin and her girlfriends sprinkle the various Buddha statues with water. Then she presents a bowl of water to the monks and receives their blessing. The water will cleanse Yasmin so she can enter the new year pure. After the blessing ceremony the food is given to the monks. At home the celebration continues. Yasmin hands her mother a bowl of water so she will bless her too. With this ritual children here also show their respect towards their parents. YASMIN: "And now comes the most fun part of the Songkran Festival." NARRATOR: Friends stop in for a visit. The children go out on the street and spray each other with water, wishing good fortune for the new year. People get each other soaking wet in Thailand, but it is a bit warmer there. Yasmin and her friends have lots of fun. At the close of the Water Festival the friends sit down for a feast. They eat meat, rice and vegetables. They certainly worked up an appetite during that water fight. 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[Home](https://www.britannica.com/) [Videos](https://www.britannica.com/videos) [Lifestyles & Social Issues](https://www.britannica.com/videos/Lifestyles-Social-Issues) ***  Celebrating Songkran, Thailand's Water Festival Learn about Songkran, a New Year festival in Thailand that is celebrated in April. Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Hwannaa/Dreamstime.com - Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Hwannaa/Dreamstime.com Learn about Songkran, a New Year festival in Thailand that is celebrated in April. - Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. What do Times Square, red envelopes, and 12 grapes have in common? - Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz Hikers explore Khao Sok National Park, southern Thailand. - Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Thousands of years ago, a monster named Nian prowled the Chinese countryside... - Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz Learn about elephant safaris in Khao Sok National Park, southern Thailand. - Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz Watch the people of Thailand celebrate the festival of Loy Krathong. - Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2026: The Year of the Horse. - Time-lapse video of Thailand, including Bangkok, Phuket, and Sukhothai. - Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz Overview of the Chinese New Year, which begins with the first new moon that occurs between January 21 and February 20. *** ## Transcript YASMIN: "Sava-tika, I'm Yasmin, I'm 11 and I come from Thailand. I am going to show you how we celebrate our new year. It's called Songkran, which means Water Festival." NARRATOR: Before the celebration begins Yasmin has to clean the house with her mother, because if your home is untidy at the new year you are in for a year of bad luck. In Thailand the Water Festival, or Thai New Year, is celebrated in the middle of April, not on the first of January. People usually eat a lot on this occasion. Yasmin helps her mother cook. Thai cuisine is pretty spicy. Yasmin dresses up in a traditional Thai outfit for the festivities. Her gown is one large piece of fabric and is called a sarong. In her homeland men often wear such garments too. YASMIN: "So, I'm finally ready, and now I have to hurry to pack something for the monks, after all, they'll be hungry too." NARRATOR: Yasmin is a Buddhist - like most other people in Thailand. In the temple Yasmin and her girlfriends sprinkle the various Buddha statues with water. Then she presents a bowl of water to the monks and receives their blessing. The water will cleanse Yasmin so she can enter the new year pure. After the blessing ceremony the food is given to the monks. At home the celebration continues. Yasmin hands her mother a bowl of water so she will bless her too. With this ritual children here also show their respect towards their parents. YASMIN: "And now comes the most fun part of the Songkran Festival." NARRATOR: Friends stop in for a visit. The children go out on the street and spray each other with water, wishing good fortune for the new year. People get each other soaking wet in Thailand, but it is a bit warmer there. Yasmin and her friends have lots of fun. At the close of the Water Festival the friends sit down for a feast. They eat meat, rice and vegetables. They certainly worked up an appetite during that water fight.