Colourful Songkran fair at Bangkok town square wraps up
Songkran activities organised by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) at Lan Khon Muang Town Square wrapped up on Friday. The aim of the three-day event was to boost international recognition of the festival.
Unesco has added Songkran to its tentative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage for consideration in December.
The activities in Bangkok’s town square, which kicked off on Wednesday, showcased cultural and folk practices related to Songkran. Visitors were also urged to wear bright floral prints to highlight the festival’s colourful traditions.
On Thursday, the BMA moved the Phra Phuttha Sihing Buddha figure from the National Museum to Lan Khon Muang, so people could pour scented water on it for blessings.
Devotees also got to attend a religious ceremony in which Buddhist monks chanted over a bowl of water to imbue it with spiritual power. The holy water was then handed out as souvenirs.
Also organised were cultural performances, traditional games and sports as well as booths selling handicrafts from Bangkok’s 50 districts.
