Over the recent long holiday weekend in Thailand, we celebrated two important Buddhist holidays: Asarnha Bucha and Khao Phansa. The first takes place on the full moon day of the eighth lunar month. It commemorates the Buddha's first sermon to his first five disciples. On this day people celebrate the Triple Gem. This represents the Buddha, his teaching and his disciples. The following day is the start of the three month long Buddhist Rains Retreat. In English it is sometimes called "Buddhist Lent" as some people vow to give up things such as alcohol or meat during this period.

Over the past few days, there have been many parades around the Kingdom of Thailand of large candles that are given to monks at the temples. The candles are large enough to stay alight for the entire Buddhist Rains Retreat. However, some are much larger than others and certainly more beautifully decorated. The best of these can be seen in the annual parades in cities in Isaan such as at Ubon Ratchathani. In Samut Prakan, we didn't have such spectacular wax carvings, but we did have some candle processions on boats.

I think nearly every local community and temple had their own candle processions. Though in some temples local people went on their own to offer food and candles to the monks. In the picture above, local people are taking part in a procession around the main ordination hall three times in a clockwise direction. They then went inside to offer the candles, robes and dried food to the monks. I think I must have taken pictures at least half a dozen different candle parades for our online news magazine for Samut Prakan Province. For most of these events I posted live moblogs over at www.MyThailandBlog.com with pictures taken from my iPhone.

The next big festival in Thailand for us is for the Queen's Birthday on 12th August. Expect to see early morning alms giving to hundreds of monks and fireworks in the evening. It is also a long weekend this year from 12-15 August 2010. You can read all about the latest news and events for Thailand by following me on Twitter @RichardBarrow.

One of the main events organized during Songkran celebrations around Thailand is the Miss Songkran Beauty Contest. The one that I went to on Friday night was held at the municipal offices in Phra Pradaeng, Samut Prakan. It takes place every year and it is always fun to go and watch. Both male and female contestants were taking part and this is a picture I took yesterday of the two winners.

The contest is a good way to view 74 of the most beautiful women in Thailand. However, don't go expecting a traditional Western type competition. The Thai girls are all dressed up in traditional clothes of this region and you won't find a swimming costume category at all.

However, the beautiful Thai smile more than makes up for this. All of them did very well despite the long length of the competition and also the incredible heat. The minimum temperature on the night was 32 Celsius. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves at the gala dinner.

The winner of the contest took pride of place during the Songkran Parade that went along the streets of Phra Pradeng yesterday. It was one of the most beautiful and colourful Songkran parades in Thailand. I have posted many pictures over at www.PaknamPhotos.com.

When I attend these events I always post updates on Twitter @RichardBarrow with live pictures and video. If you want to know what is going on in Thailand or discover new places as I find them myself, then I suggest you follow me @RichardBarrow.

As you probably all know now, Thailand is celebrating Songkran this week, which is the traditional Thai new year. It is basically a week of waterfights, but there are also some other traditional aspects to the festival which I will tell you about later. Yesterday I went to visit Ancient Siam (Muang Boran) in Samut Prakan for their Songkran activities. The highlight for my afternoon there was definitely the elephants who were playing waterfights with the tourists. But they also had some more sedate activities. If you are free this week then I suggest you head over there now. More information can be found at our www.paknam.com website. You will also find more pictures in our Samut Prakan Photo Album.

Thailand has quite a few ethnic minorities. One of these groups are the Mons which have their own distinct culture, clothing and language. They originally came from Southern Burma where they were once rulers of their own kingdom. Due to persecution and wars, they have fled their homeland and can be found in neighbouring countries such as Thailand. It is estimated that 30 provinces around Thailand have Mon communities. Many of them seem to be in the Phra Phradaeng District of Samut Prakan, Pak Kret district in Nonthaburi and Samut Sakhon Province.

The Mon people have integrated into Thai society so much that you don't really notice them much these days. However, this week, the Mons of Samut Prakan have a number of cultural activities. The first big one in Phra Pradaeng was on 13th April. This was the Swan and Centipede Parade Festival. I was over they yesterday afternoon and it was really good to see so many Mons wearing their traditional clothes. A rare sight these days. The next big event for them is Songkran on 16-18 April which they always celebrate the first weekend after the rest of the country.

The parade through Phra Pradaeng yesterday reminds the Mon people of their homeland. According to legend, Buddha once went to Burma where he saw two swans swimming next to an island. He named this land Hongsawadee. Over the years the island expanded and eventually the Mon people settled there. The word "hongsa" means swan. The Buddha also predicted that Buddhism would prosper here.The Centipede Flag represents that Buddha's teaching. The claws of the centipede show that the Mon people will never be afraid of their enemies.

The event yesterday started at Wat Khan Lat in Phra Pradaeng. The Governor of Samut Prakan was there for the opening ceremony. In attendance were hundreds of Mon people representing a number of local temples. Each of them carried an image of the "swan" as well as the centipede flag which was hoisted up the flag pole at the end of the parade. I had never been to this parade before so I didn't really know what to expect. It was certainly an experience.

The large parade set off from Wat Khan Lat shortly after 4 p.m. It first went along the waterfront before turning right at Phra Pradaeng District Offfice and then up as far as Wat Klang where it did a u-turn and then back to the start. I found out later that the length was nearly 4 kms (2.21 miles) which was quite tiring in the hot sun. However, my main concern at the time was getting drenched with water as it was the first day of Songkran. But, I needn't have worried, as most Phra Pradaeng people don't play waterfights until this weekend.

One thing I didn't realize at the time was that the people representing each of the temples broke away from the parade on the return trip in order to go back to their respective temples. I was walking at the lead of the parade and only noticed this once we got back to Wat Khan Lat. What happened next, was that everyone then paraded around the main chapel at the temple three times in a clockwise direction. Taking the lead was the image of the swan as well as the long centipede flag. This was then hoisted up the flagpole as the monks chanted and fireworks went off.

The next big Mon event is this Sunday with another parade and the releasing of fish and birds. This one will be VERY wet but really worth going to experience. Full information and pictures can be found at our www.paknam.com website. I also have hundreds of photos and a video from the Swan and Centipede Parade.

After all the bad news in Thailand over the past few weeks, it is finally good that we can relax and enjoy one of the Kingdom's most popular festivals. Songkran is the traditional Thai new year which is held every year between 13-15 April. As it is in the middle of the week and that the government has added an extra holiday this Friday, we probably now have the longest Songkran for many years. The waterfights started yesterday and will go on until this coming Sunday.

Many people around Thailand got up early this morning to make merit for Songkran. In Samut Prakan, about 500 local people gathered in front of the City Pillar which was closed to traffic. Tables had been set up on both sides of a 150 meter stretch of road.

After some brief chanting, dozens of monks came out and the local people offered them alms. Flowers were a popular offering as well as food and other essentials.

Afterwards, people poured rose scented water on a Buddha image and also over the hands of senior citizens. In return they were wished a "Happy Songkran" and a long life. You can see more pictures of this event at www.paknamphotos.com.

There is a lot more going on this week in Samut Prakan. Full details can be found at www.paknam.com. I am off now to take pictures of the next event. Follow me live on Twitter @RichardBarrow and my moblog at www.MyThailandBlog.com.

These are some of the pictures of the Songkran activities that I will be joining in Samut Prakan this week. As you can see there is a lot going on during the traditional Thai new year and not all of them are to do with water throwing! Though, of course, water fights are the most fun AND the most difficult to photograph. The first main activity took place yesterday which was the Songkran Parade through town. I have already shown you some pictures of that.

On the morning of 13th April, local people in Samut Prakan will be going to the city pillar here at 7.30 a.m. to make merit by giving alms to monks, and pouring rose scented water over Buddha images and the hands of elders.

One of my favourite places to go during Songkran is Ancient Siam (Muang Boran). They have quite a few cultural activities going on this week and I will be going there to take pictures.

Another place with activities is The Erawan Museum, the home to the giant three-headed elephant. I hear also that the weekend floating market at Bang Nampheung will open specially this weekend for Songkran activities. So, I will probably go and check them out.

Another event for Songkran not experienced by many foreigners is "chedi sai". This is where the local people come to their local temple to build sandcastles and take part in competitions. According to tradition, they are bringing sand back to the temples that they may have inadvertently carried out on the bottom of their shoes. But, these days the sand is provided by the temples.

Another interesting event at temples this week is called "song nam phra" which is basically pouring water over the monks! Really you should be gentle with them.

On Friday 16th April, in Phra Pradaeng, there will be a Miss Songkran Beauty Contest in the evening. A highlight of my week and an opportunity to get some good pictures!

The best Songkran Parade in Thailand is undoubtedly at Phra Pradaeng on the afternoon of 18th April. Very popular with local people and tourists. If you go, then as a foreigner, you will certainly be in a small minority. But, be careful, you will sure to get very wet! I will definitely be there.

At the end of the Songkran Parade they release birds and fishes at a local temple which is definately a great photo opportunity not to missed! I will be blogging and tweeting about all these events live this week on my moblog at www.MyThailandBlog.com and my twitter account @RichardBarrow. Also visit www.paknam.com where there are many more pictures, notes and maps for all these events. Have fun and a safe Songkran 2010!

You can trust the Thais to carry on with their festivals despite the troubles in Bangkok. The evening of Saturday 10th April 2010 was a dark day in the history of Thailand with at least 21 people killed in running street battles between the Thai army and red shirt protesters. I was there earlier in the day (see my moblog at www.MyThailandBlog.com) but decided to go home as darkness fell. It is never a good sign when the army are out on the streets of Bangkok.

Early the next morning, I was still in shock of what had happened while I drove to the Erawan Museum in Samut Prakan for the start of the Songkran Parade. To be honest, I wasn't in the mood for taking pictures of Songkran, but the Governor was scheduled to go there and so I had to go. This is now the second year in a row of red shirt protests disrupting the Thai traditional new year celebrations. But, Thai people are very resilient and will carry on with their planned activities regardless. It was like that last year with the water fights in Bangkok only being delayed by a couple of days.

So, if you have just arrived in Thailand for the Songkran festival, don't be worried that everything is cancelled. The festival is continuing. The reds themselves have also stated a few times that they will play Songkran in Bangkok at the protest sites. However, I am not sure that you should attend those events. Authorities have said the Songkran fun on Khao San Road has been cancelled. However, I cannot see that happening altogether. People will still be out on the streets this week throwing water.

In Samut Prakan, the Songkran festivities were kicked off at 8.30 a.m. on Sunday morning with a grand parade of about ten floats that went from The Erawan Museum to the Ancient Siam via Samrong and Paknam. Leading the two hour long parade was the Governor of Samut Prakan and various other VIPs. At the Ancient Siam they took part in traditional Songkran activities such as bathing Buddha images with rose scented water and also sprinkled water over the hands of their elders.

Songkran really starts tomorrow on the 13th April, but I won't be surprised to find people splashing water on the roads today. If you are in Samut Prakan this week, you will find some interesting Songkran activities at both Erawan Museum and Ancient Siam. Then this weekend, there will be a second round of water fights and parade in Phra Pradaeng. Full information on our local news magazine www.paknam.com.

I am not sure about you but it is getting a bit boring with all the news about the red shirt protests. So, how about some fun pictures of children playing Songkran? While the adults in Bangkok are waging war against each other, the children of the nation have started their own version. Songkran is the start of the traditional Thai new year. It also marks the height of the hot season. A good way to cool off is to join in with the many water fights that are just starting in Thailand. Traditionally, you are supposed to splash your elders with a little rose scented water. But, these days people just throw buckets of water at each other.

At Sriwittayapaknam School in Samut Prakan this morning, the students went to school early in order to make merit for the start of the Songkran period. They went there with their parents. They first took part in some chanting and then received a blessing from 25 Buddhist monks. They next offered alms to the monks which consisted of food and other basic essentials. They also poured rose scented water over a Buddha image.

Afterwards, the students, who have been attending summer school, took part in some fun and games. This climaxed for them with a giant water fight in the school playground. As you can see from these pictures, everyone had a lot of fun and got very, very wet! Songkran doesn't really start until 13th April, but as that is so close to the weekend, people are bound to start playing early this year. And a word of warning, in some areas it will go on until 18th April!