One of the more traditional events that took place during Songkran recently was "song nam phra". This is the practice of bathing Buddha images with rose scented water. Most tourists, and even some Thai teenagers, seem to think that Songkran is only about throwing water at each other. However, it was originally more a bathing of Buddha images and pouring water on the hands of monks and elders. The latter ceremony is called "rod nam dam hua". Over the years people tend to spend more time playing water fights which is obviously more fun.

I took these pictures at Wat Mahawong in Samut Prakan last week during their annual "song nam phra" ceremony. People came to the temple in their best clothes with their families. Much like they did for the "phra chedi sai" ceremony which I told you about before. They then prepared some rose scented water which they first poured onto a Buddha image. Next they walked down a line of seated monks and carefully poured some water onto their hands. Some people, who were a bit more familiar with the younger monks, poured some colder water down their necks.

I am sure the monks didn't mind this public bathing. Their chairs were all lined up in the sun and it was extremely hot. In the shade it reached a scorching 39 degrees Celsius that day. Once the lay people had finished pouring water on the monks, they then had some fun splashing water on each other. This is basically where the water fights started. In the old days, it was mainly restricted to the temples. Now it is on all the streets and no-one is safe from the roaming pick-up trucks armed to the teeth with barrels of water and powerful water guns.

I am glad that Songkran is finally over. For us in Samut Prakan it lasted seven days. After the final day I decided that it was finally safe to go and get my car washed. During the week there was no point as it was often smeared with white paste. I can now also walk down the street without having to keep looking over my shoulder. Not that I am walking around outside much at the moment. It is so hot here in Thailand. At least with Songkran there is plenty of water being thrown around if you don't mind getting wet. I have written quite a few stories about Songkran in Samut Prakan. You can find them all in the Festivals in Samut Prakan section of our local website www.Paknam.com.

One of the best Songkran Parades in Thailand is held in Phra Pradaeng District in Samut Prakan Province. It is traditional for the Mon people in this region to release birds and fish during Songkran in order to make merit for themselves. Many of the townspeople dress up in their best clothes and then parade through the town to Wat Proteket Chettharam.

Many people in the parade either carry bowls of fish or bird cages. They take them to the temple where they then release them back into the wild. In this picture you can see the Samut Prakan Governor together with other government officials and the winners of the Miss Songkran Beauty Contest.

These days people don't just release wild animals during Songkran. They will often do it when they go to visit a temple or on their birthday. They believe that by releasing the birds and fish that they are saving a life. However, what they often forget is that these creatures were captured just for them to make merit. So, this sin cancels out any merit they try to make!

Abbots of some temples have started to ban people from selling birds and fish for this purpose. However, the tradition for this dates back to the days of the Buddha. There was once a novice monk, who on hearing from his abbot that he was going to die within seven days, decided to travel back to his home to say goodbye to his parents. Along the way he saw some fish which had been stranded in a puddle. So, using his robe he carefully carried them to a nearby river and set them free.

Next he came across some birds that were caught in a trap. As it would have been a sin to "steal" these birds he decided to sit and pray for their welfare. Shortly later a gust of wind dislodged the trap and set them free. He then continued on his way to his parents. Several weeks passed and he did not die. So, he went back to his abbot and asked him why. They decided that he was saved by his meritorious acts of freeing the birds and fish.

Visit our Samut Prakan website for more stories from the area where we live.

Most districts in Samut Prakan have their own Songkran parades. However, the biggest and best is undoubtedly held through the town of Phra Pradaeng. This took place on Sunday afternoon and was probably also the last Songkran parade of the season. It started outside the municipal offices alongside the river and then wound through the town ending up at Wat Proteket Chettharam nearly two kilometers away. It is a long way to walk in the sweltering heat but I guess many of the participants were grateful that it was Songkran as there was also a lot of water being thrown around.

I have already told you about the opening ceremony conducted by the Governor of Samut Prakan. Once that was over they were able to start. The atmosphere was incredible as there were thousands of people lining the streets to watch the colourful floats and extremely beautiful Thai women riding up on top.

I had been waiting all day for this parade. There was so much to see and photograph. As well as the floats there were marching bands and groups of local girls and boys dressed in traditional dress of the Mon people.

As you can see from this picture there was a really large crowd watching as the parade passed by. They were actually being very restrained as not many people were squirting water at this stage. This probably gave the participants a false impression that they would reach the far end without getting wet.

I managed to get a good viewpoint for the start of the parade. I started down in the crowd but then got up on the stage so that I could have a more bird's eye viewpoint. There were so many people here that it would have been difficult to see much. Further along the route there was less people but more water throwing!

This lady is the Miss Songkran Jumbo. As well as the Miss Songkran Beauty Contest, they also held a Miss Songkran Jumbo at Bang Nampheung Sub-district. This "elephant", which is what they say in Thai, was the winner of that competition. She certainly has a lovely smile.

It took about 45 minutes for the entire parade to pass the point where I was watching. I quickly then made a dash for my car and then drove on the back roads to Wat Proteket Chettharam. The road was blocked near the temple but I was lucky that the policeman let me through. I had the foresight to put a sign in the car window that said "media" in Thai. I arrived just in time to watch the front of the parade walking up the hill on its last stretch before the temple. Everyone looked very exhausted.

The next event was the most beautiful of the day. It was the releasing of the fish and birds. I will share these pictures with you tomorrow. In the meantime, we have been posting some pictures of this event on our Samut Prakan Forums. You can also find more information on our Samut Prakan website at www.paknam.com. Make sure that you mark it in your calendar for next year as this is one of those places that doesn't see many foreign tourists.

One of the biggest and most spectacular Songkran celebrations in Thailand is held in Phra Pradaeng district of Samut Prakan. Unlike the rest of the country, the local people here celebrate Songkran a week later. This means that if you know where to go, you can enjoy the fun of Songkran at least twice. The main events in Phra Pradaeng were held over the weekend with the big parade on Sunday. The pictures here are of the opening ceremony held at the municipal offices of Phra Pradaeng District. The guest of honour was Samut Prakan Governor Mr. Kwanchai Wongnitikorn who can be seen here cutting the ribbon.

The ceremony went on for about an hour. They started a bit late which meant that the local people lining the streets had to wait in the sun for the parade to start. While they were waiting they enjoyed themselves playing waterfights. In this next picture, Sunchai Khanasa, one of the deputy governors of Samut Prakan Province, is pouring scented water over the Buddha image.

Next they released caged birds. The idea is that you are doing kindness to the birds by allowing them to go back into the wild. Forgetting of course that they were captured just for this event.

In this picture, Samut Prakan Governor Mr. Kwanchai Wongnitikorn, is releasing some fish. This is a common sight in temples and many people think it is a Thai tradition. In fact, the Mon people from Burma brought it here.

Another traditional event that takes place during Songkran is sprinkling scented water onto the hands of your elders. In Thai this is called "rot nam dum hua". In this picture, the governor then blessed the young lady by sprinkling the water on her head.

Next came a short dance in the Mon tradition. They not only dress differently to Thai people, but they also have their own dance routines. It is a shame that not many people were here to witness any of these cultural activities. It seemed to be mainly local officials and people of the media.

The next event was a brief introduction of the game Saba. In the old days there weren't many opportunities for people of the opposite sex to meet and court each other. So, instead they used games such as this one. In this picture the Governor and his team are having a try themselves. I will post more on this later.

The final cultural activity of the extended opening ceremony was a demonstration of the making of kalamae. It is a bit like our Caramel and is based on the same word. It took them nearly all day to make one batch by continuously stirring. A team of strong men are needed. The Governor and his team tried for just a few minutes! I will write about this more later.

That was the end of the opening ceremony. We were now ready for the grand Songkran parade through the streets of Phra Pradaeng. I will share with you my pictures tomorrow. In the meantime, we have ben posting some pictures of this event on our Samut Prakan Forums. You can also find more information on our Samut Prakan website at www.paknam.com. Make sure that you mark it in your calendar for next year as this is one of those places that doesn't see many foreign tourists.

Songkran has arrived again and people are getting ready to celebrate the start of the traditional Thai new year. However, Songkran is not just about the water fights. There are other, more traditionals, ways that Thai people can celebrate this festive season.

At the Ancient Siam in Samut Prakan (formerly known as Ancient City), they are advertising "Songkran in the 4 Regions". This will be held between 13th and 15th April 2009. If you want to escape the craziness of Bangkok then you might enjoy celebrating Songkran in a more traditional way. And yes, there will be water fights!

The opening ceremony was held yesterday. It started with a parade through town from The Erawan Museum to the Ancient Siam. Members of the press were then taken on a tour of the park. We were told that during Songkran we will be able to experience how people celebrate Songkran in the four different regions.

There will be four main areas in the park where you will be able to see traditional dancing from each region. There will also be fun and games as well. If you are a Buddhist you will also have the opportunity to pay respect to Buddha images at nine sacred locations. More information at our website www.Paknam.com.

In Thailand at the moment it is the summer holidays for school students. At Sriwittayapaknam School in Samut Prakan they have just come to the end of Summer School. Next week marks the start of the Songkran Festival which is the start of the traditional Thai new year. As it is the hottest time of the year, young people like to have some fun by taking part in water fights during the three day Songkran Festival.

Traditionally, Thai people pour rose scented water over Buddha images and the hands of elders and monks. They do this in order to receive a blessing and also good luck for the new year.

Thai people also go to the temple to make merit by offering food to the monks and taking part in activities such as "chedi sai" where they build stupas out of sand.

The school invited monks from a local temple so that the students and their parents could make merit. But, the highlight for most of the students were the water fights that they took part in afterwards. Everyone had fun splashing water. This will now be a daily occurrence for the next four or five days.

Every year, there is a moment when the city pauses for a last glance before the heat unleashes its fury and the smoke rolls in from the mountains. These are the last few days when colours still vibrate alive, before the city turns into molten air and concrete, and gets swallowed up in a bleak orange-grey haze. Now the sun is welcome and bounces back happily from the million flowers flooding the streets. All the colours are on the palette, hues of green, mild pinks, crazy purples, serene oranges, shiny whites, smiling yellows.

In this last moment, Chiang Mai's flower lovers, gardeners, photo enthusiasts, balloon sellers, food stall owners, excited children and pollinating insects all descend upon Buat Hat park for the city's 33rd annual floral extravaganza. Not to mention our canine friends!

Flowers are special in this region, and it is not just floral language that Chiang Mai is called "the rose of the north". Their Majesties the King and the Queen have been working tirelessly to provide alternative crops and sources of income for the previously mostly opium-growing hilltribes of Northern Thailand. Besides vegetables and fruits, flowers are now a major produce of the region, thanks to the cool climate at higher altitudes. Near the entrance, the display from Phuphing Palace, which has a majestic garden near the top of Doi Pui, always dazzles visitors with the largest roses and vivid floral landscapes.

The orchid, rose, bonsai and bromelia growers have a major competition but the crowd seems to enjoy flowers of all shapes, sizes, colours and awards.

The floats are of course the main attraction: after the parade around the streets of the city on Saturday morning, they are neatly lined up in front of the park to be admired close up. With Makha Bucha just round the corner, the themes of the 23 floats were mostly in tribute to this auspicious occasion.

The Buddha images, chedis, elephants, nagas and other mythical figures are initially sculpted from styrofoam, mounted on cars, and decorated with millions of cut flowers, petals, seeds, white and brown rice grains with painstaking detail for a truly dazzling overall effect.

This year saw a large number of elephants in leading or supporting roles: carrying chedis, flanking chedis, kneeling down before the Lord Buddha, carrying jasmine garlands, poking at visitors.

My favourite float of all, a giant kneeling elephant, was the first runner-up in the float contest this year, representing Hang Dong district.

On Arak road, the western side of the moat, yet another strip of spectacles unfolds. Food stalls dot one side of the road, selling everything from fruits to squids. Families with children may initially frown at the large number of vendors selling balloons, toys, and other assorted junk. Miraculously, I don't remember seeing a single screaming child - but maybe some of the parents were upset.

On the other side, plant vendors set up temporary mini-jungles and inviting gardens, offering everything you have ever dreamed of for your garden, maybe more. There are hundreds of blooming orchids, needless to say, in much better shape than my dried-up orchid sticks with new shoots of fresh green at home! For a while, I read the Thai names of flowers and tried to recall their names in my mother tongue, but many probably don't even have names - well, bromelias do.

In a few stalls, OTOP products from all over the province are on display: strawberry jam and wine from Samoeng (advertising the annual strawberry festival coming up next weekend up in the small hill town of Samoeng), woodcarving from Baan Tawai, umbrellas from Bosang, textiles and clothes from faraway districts.

When you are tired, Buat Hat park swallows you up for a little rest, but no peace and quiet. You may rent a straw mat, eat, doze off, sign the kids up for a mad session at the bouncy castle or a ride in the mini ferris wheel. In the evening, there is music, the obligatory beauty contest, and more food. Sorry guys - no pictures of the beauties :-)

This is my favourite time in Chiang Mai, and my favourite festival. It is a final reminder of all the best this city and region has to offer before we face the worst of what it can throw at us.