Songkran activities at Wat Chanasongkhram Voraviharn temple, one of the nine royal temples, will offer insight into traditional Thai ways and Thai culture and will be of much interest to both local as well as international visitors. The activities will be presented in two zones with live demonstrations of arts and crafts related to Songkran Thai New Year ritual offerings and celebrations featured in the first zone and a traditional Thai temple fair-style bazaar with sales of food and desserts in the other.

	Arts and Crafts Related to Songkran These include the preparation of scented water and scented powder, elaborate floral crafts used in Buddhist worship, rituals and ceremonies, the traditional Thai and Buddhist art of carving, a live demonstration of how decorative Tapien fish (Pla Tapien) are crafted from strips of bamboo and considered to be symbol of prosperity, used to adorn temples and traditional Thai homes, and the making of Kalamae — a specialty Thai-Mon dessert made by stirring a large pan of molasses over a slow fire. It is an activity that involves community participation with residents in the community taking turns to stir the molasses until it is ready.
	Stage shows will feature cultural performances from the four regions of the kingdom, a demonstration of the Thai traditional art of self-defence, a ram wong circle dance contest, an exhibition of Songkran sand stupas of various shapes and forms as well as an exhibition of models of traditional Thai-style houses.

10 April
A demonstration of the famous Thai-Raman or Mon Songkran festivities in the Phra Padaeng district of Samut Prakan

11 April
Ram wong circle dance contest, Thai costume contest, alternated with popular Thai music

12 April
A demonstration of Thai martial arts and the traditional art of self-defence and a Thai boxing demonstration match featuring Bua Khao – the famous Thai boxer and winner of the K-1 max 2006 championship

13 & 15 April
A demonstration of Saba, a Mon folk game

	Pay homage to the Buddha image representing the day of the week on which one was born by conducting the ritual bathing of the Buddha image.
	To ensure an auspicious start to the new year, merit-making offerings will be presented to 108 Buddhist monks.
	Individuals of Buddhist faith will also make merit for ancestors and deceased members of the family including parents, loved ones, relatives, as well as friends who have departed.

At Wat Chanasongkhram Voraviharn temple, one of the nine sacred sites, Buddhist merit-making activities will continue in the evening and into the night. As part of the Buddhist ritual, merit-makers will receive consecrated water for use in purification rites and in blessing rituals.

Contact information:
Tourism Authority of Thailand, Bangkok Office
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500
Fax: +66 (0) 2250 5511
E-mail: tatbangkok@tat.or.th