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Songkran

    Songkran (Thai: วันสงกรานต์) is Thailand’s traditional New Year and is celebrated around 13 to 15 April. It is one of the country’s most important annual festivals and is listed as a public holiday period.1,4

    History

    The Thai Government describes 13 April as Songkran Day and as the traditional Thai New Year. The date also coincides with Thailand’s National Day for Older Persons.1 In 2023, Songkran was inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.3

    UNESCO’s inscription of “Songkran in Thailand” in 2023 strengthened the international framing of the festival as intangible cultural heritage. Thai government communication since then has presented Songkran not only as a water festival, but also as a way to show local wisdom, regional diversity and respect-based family customs.3,5

    Customs

    Traditional customs include returning home, visiting temples, making merit, giving alms to monks and pouring scented water as a gesture of blessing and respect for elders.1 Public water festivities and tourism events are common, but their scale and programme differ by province and year.2

    Modern Songkran therefore has two visible layers. The first is the family and temple layer: returning home, asking elders for blessings, cleaning Buddha images and making merit. The second is the public festival layer: parades, concerts, water zones and tourism events. The two often overlap, but they should not be reduced to the same thing.1,2

    Good to know

    Songkran is also a major travel and safety period. During the 2026 post-Songkran travel peak, Thai authorities highlighted speeding and drunk driving as main accident causes and increased checkpoints and public-transport inspections.6 The festival is also economically significant: for the 2024 Maha Songkran World Water Festival, the Cabinet approved a budget of 104.87 million baht, with more than 200,000 visitors expected and projected revenue of 3,125 million baht.5

    Legal status

    Thailand’s holiday calendars list the Songkran Festival from 13 to 15 April. Additional special holidays or extended travel periods may be announced separately for individual years.4

    Sources

    1. Songkran Day Coinciding with the National Day for Older Persons (Public Relations Department, Royal Thai Government)
    2. 67 Major Events to Celebrate Songkran in Thailand 2026 (Public Relations Department, Royal Thai Government)
    3. Highly Successful Performance of Songkran Festival 2026 (Public Relations Department, Royal Thai Government)
    4. List of public holidays in Thailand (ASEAN-Japan Centre)
    5. Maha Songkran World Water Festival to Be Held in Bangkok and Five Regions of the Country (Public Relations Department, Royal Thai Government)
    6. Thailand Tightens Road Safety Measures During Songkran Travel Peak (Public Relations Department, Royal Thai Government)