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CHIANG MAI SONGKRAN FESTIVAL
APRIL 12 - 15, 2008
All around Chiang Mai
Featuring Lanna Thai New Year celebrations and festivities at temples, the city gates and around the city moat throughout the northern capital of Chiang Mai
 
 
 
One of the best places to experience Songkran is in Chiang Mai, where it is celebrated on a grand scale with a flavour uniquely and entirely its own, attracting visitors from far and wide.

This year, Songkran Thai New Year festivities scheduled for April 12-15, will be held at temples, in the vicinity of the city’s gates and around the city moat.

Devout Buddhists visit the temple for merit-making and to listen to sermons. Lustral water is sprinkled on sacred Buddha images, such as the Phra Buddha Sihing image, and also poured over the hands of monks in a gesture of reverence. Donations are also made to the temple. Enjoy traditional Thai cultural performances held in the temple ground.

One of the highlights of the festival is the 'Songkran Beauty Queen Procession' that takes place on Songkran Day itself - April 13. Meanwhile, many other events leading up to the main attraction are spread over several days and it is here that the visitor gets to see various aspects of Chiang Mai, first hand, — its culture, cuisine, arts and crafts, as well as the friendly people.

Highlights
12 April
07.00 Buddhist Merit-making
Buddhist merit-making offerings are presented to 99 Buddhist monks on the morning of April 12 at the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek exposition site in Chiang Mai
13 April
14.00 The procession of the Phra Buddha Sihing Buddha image and the ritual bathing of the Buddha image and Miss Songkran Procession
From Naowarat Bridge to Wat Phra Singh temple
14 April
16.00 Merit-making processions are organized to transport piles of sand and wooden planks called 'mai salee' which are presented to temples as merit-making offerings. The sand is used to replenish the sandy ground around the temple and the wooden planks are used to shore up the branches of old Pho (banyan, ficus) trees that grow on the temple premises
From Sapan Lek Bridge to temples on Tha Phae Road
15 April
13.30 A procession of sacred items used in the ‘Rot nam dum hua’ bathing
ritual to pay respects to the provincial governor
From the Three Kings Monument plaza to the Governor’s Residence

Activities
  • Phra Buddha Sihing procession
  • Buddha images bathing ritual
  • Merit-making activities and presentation of offerings to Buddhist monks
  • ‘Rot nam dum hua’ bathing rituals as a gesture of respect to elderly relatives and other respected individuals
  • Lanna Thai cultural performances and folk games
  • Sand-stupa building contest
  • Songkran water-splashing around the ancient city moat
  • Chiang Mai Culture Street
  • International Food Festival
PROGRAMME
Date & Time Activities Place
April 1-3
09.00 – 24.00		 Bathing Rite for Phra Satungkamanee and Phra Maha Chedi stupa at Wat Chiang Mun
temple		 Wat Chiang Mun temple
April 1-18
06.00 - 18.00		 Chiang Mai Songkran Festival Photo Contest 2008  
April 2-6
17.00 - 22.00		 Chiang Mai International Cultural Performances Three Kings Monument
April 2-30
09.00 – 17.00		 The Festival of Art and Folk Wisdom Wat Sri-Su-Pan
April 4-6
09.00 - 22.00		 Poy Sang Long Wat Pa Paow
April 5 33rd Northern Food Contest (Larb Muang) Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Malls
April 5-8
09.00 - 22.00		 Local Lanna Wisdom School Lanna Wisdom School
April 5 & 12
17.00 – 23.00		 Lanna Local Arts and OTOP Exhibition Wualai Road
April 6
08.00 - 16.00		 Contest of Royal Lanna Drum Three Kings Monument
April 6 & 11-15
17.00 – 23.00		 Celebration of Chiang Mai's 712th Year Anniversary Walking Street Tha Pae Gate
Ratchadamneon Road
April 7-9
09.00 - 22.00		 Bathing Rite for Pra Maha Chedi stupa at Wat Chiang Yuen Wat Chiang Yuen
April 9-15
09.00 - 18.00		 Legend of Local Craftmen Chiang Mai University Art Museum
April 10-15
08.00 - 21.30		 Traditional Sand Stupa Building (in form of a chedi)
Traditional Blessing Contest
Local Lanna Tung		 Wat Jedlin
April 11-15
09.00 - 22.00		 Bathing Rite for Pra Maha Chedi stupa at Wat Pun Oon Wat Pun Oon
April 11-15
08.00 - 24.00		 Traditional Singing Contest Wat Prasingh
April 11-15
19.00 - 24.00		 Lanna Local Contest, Miss Friendship Contest, Miss Songkran Contest Tha Pae Gate
April 11-16
09.00 - 22.00		 Lanna Art: Jour and Tung Festival Wat Inthakin -
City Pilla
April 12
06.00 - 08.00		 Traditional Merit-making to celebrate
Chiang Mai's 712th Year Anniversary		 Three Kings Monument
April 12
09.09 - 10.09		 Salutation Ceremony to the Three Great Kings Three Kings Monument
April 12
16.00 - 18.00		 Parade to Pay Respect to the Three Great Kings Yupparaj School - Three Kings Monument
April 12
08.09 - 08.39		 Salutation Ceremony to Honour Spirit Chiang Mai Municipality
April 12
10.39 – 11.39		 Salutation Ceremony to Maha Songkran Chiang Mai Municipality
April 12-15
06.00 - 20.00		 Traditional Merit-making
Bathing Rite for Buddha images
Tung (sacred ritual or ceremonial flags) exhibition 		Wat Lok Mo Lee
April 12-15
09.00 - 22.00		 Kids Contest, Cooking Contest of Northern Food Local Cultural Performance Buddha Sathan
(Buddhist Association Hall)
April 12-16 Lanna Grand Songkran Royal Flora Ratchaphruek exposition site
April 13
18.00 - 22.00		 Local Song Contest Three Kings Monument
April 13
09.09 - 09.39		 Ceremony of bringing out Buddha Sihing Image from Viharn Laikham Wat Prasingh
April 13
06.00 - 08.00		 Merit-making for Thai New Year 2007 Tha Pae Gate
April 13
08.09 - 08.30		 Official Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Chiang Mai Songkran Festival Tha Pae Gate
April 13
08.00 - 12.00		 Traditional Flower Contest
(Marksum Markbeng Tondok Tonphung)		 Tha Pae Gate
April 13
07.00 - 12.00		 Contest of Ladies Riding Bicycles with Umbrellas In front of TAT Chiang Mai office - Tha Pae Gate
April 13
14.09 - 18.00		 Annual Sprinking of Lustral Water and Ritual bathing of the Buddha Sihing Buddha image - Procession of Chiang Mai's sacred Buddha images In front of Governor’s residence - Wat Prasingh
April 14
16.00 - 18.00		 Merit-making procession to transport piles of sand and Sa-Lee wooden planks to temples From Sapan Lek Bridge to temples on Tha Pae Road
April 14 Drum Beating Competion Wat Suan Dok
April 15
13.30 - 18.00		 Procession to pay respect to the Governor of Chiang Mai Three King Monument - Governor’s House

Contact information:
TAT Northern Office: Region 1 (Chiang Mai)
Tel: +66 (0) 5324 8604, (0) 5324 8607, (0) 5330 2500
Fax: +66 (0) 5324 8605, (0) 5330 2501
E-mail: tatchmai@tat.or.th
   
  IMPORTANT
Event dates and programme details may be subject to change.
Many of the festivals and events listed on Thailand's official calendar of annual events are traditional Buddhist or folk festivals, the date of which is either determined by the Buddhist lunar calendar and waxing and waning moon. These are not staged events. The festivals reflect the rhythm of life in rural Thai villages and local traditions as observed in times past. To ensure you have the most updated information, please reconfirm details prior to travel.

Contact:
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Email: info@tat.or.th
Website: www.tat.or.th
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 (120 automatic lines)
Fax: +66 (0) 2250 5511 (two automatic lines)

FOR EVENT INFORMATION,
please call 1672.

Address:
1600 Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Rajatevee
Bangkok 10400
Thailand
 
 
 
 
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