Songkran Festival 2023@AU

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Songkran Festival 2023@AU

April 10-12, 2023

WRITER: BENJAPORN ANUNWANITCHA
EDITED: KULDEEP NAGI

Songkran festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of the traditional Thai solar calendar. It is a time of renewal and purification. Water is believed to have cleansing powers that can wash away bad luck and bring good luck for the new year.

What is Songkran?

Songkran is a traditional festival that marks the beginning of the Thai New Year. It is also known as the "Thai Water Festival." It involves splashing, and water fights on each other. It is celebrated as an annual cleansing and purification event.

Songkran is officially observed for three days and celebrated as a national holiday. Although the government may announce varying official dates, it is usually held between the 13^th and 15^th of April each year. Some regions in Thailand may celebrate Songkran for a longer period. This festival is also observed in many countries with significant Thai populations, such as Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

Apart from the water fights, Songkran is a time for family reunions, visiting temples, making merit, and performing traditional rituals to pay respect to ancestors and receive their blessings for the new year.

Songkran at Assumption University of Thailand

Office of Thai Art and Culture, Student Affairs organized “Thai Heritage Preservation Week and Songkran Festival 2023” to comply with the University's policy to preserve and celebrate Thai arts and culture for Thai and foreign students. This event occurred between April 10-12 at AU SHOPPING PLAZA (Cathedral of Learning Building) and SALA JATURAMOOKPAICHITR, Suvarnabhumi Campus.

The details are as follows:

AU SHOPPING PLAZA, April 10-12, 09.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.

Songkran activities included a sprinkling of scented water onto a Buddha image, a Thai Art and Crafts Fair (Thai food booths, household products, and DIY handicraft workshops).

On April 11, starting at 07.30 a.m., the celebrations began with food offerings at CAFE DE BANGKOK, at 08.00 a.m. alms-giving to Buddhist monks in front of the CL Building. This activity hosted by the Albert Laurence School of Communication Arts and the Office of Thai Art and Culture.

The afternoon session, starting at 01.00 p.m., students’ performances included the Thai fabric fashion show "Wonderful Phakhaoma.” The AU President, Rev. Bro. Bancha Saenghiran, gave an opening speech and gave awards to the contestants in the Thai Social Etiquette Contest.

Songkran Festival 2023@AU

SALA JATURAMOOKPAICHITR, Suvarnabhumi Campus. April 11, from 2.30 p.m. onward

On the same day, the activities marked by a water-pouring ceremony, "Rod Nam Dam Hua," paying respect to the AU President and other seniors. On this auspicious occasion, AU administrators, the members of the University’s top management, administrators, faculty, staff, and students also joined this event."