BANGKOK, 4 April 2024: The Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2024, scheduled for 11 to 15 April in Bangkok, promises to highlight traditional Thai New Year celebrations.
The five-day spectacle has been planned by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in celebration of UNESCO’s inscription of ‘Songkran in Thailand, Traditional Thai New Year Festival’ on the prestigious Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List officially declared 6 December 2023.
A flamboyant parade of distinctive Songkran processions from five regions, including a stunning procession of the Nang Songkran goddess of 2024, exhibited are part of the epic parade of 20 processions planned for 11 April.
The 11 April parade will proceed along Bangkok’s Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue, starting from the Phan Fa Lilat Bridge and concluding at Sanam Luang, where it will stationed until 15 April.
The procession of the Buddha image, followed by the Mahodhara Devi – the Nang Songkran goddess of 2024 will lead the 20 processions displaying Songkran traditions from 16 provinces along with cultural performances from over 1,000 performers and the parade of unique Songkran traditions from five other provinces.
Songkran in Thailand is celebrated nationwide as a three-day Thai New Year holiday from 13 to 15 April. Songkran is on 13 April, which is also National Elders Day. 14 April and 15 April have been declared National Family Day and Thai New Year Day, respectively.
Traditional Songkran festivities will also be hosted for tourists in five other locations such as Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Samut Prakan, Chon Buri, and Phuket, to celebrate the UNESCO ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ status of Songkran in Thailand.
