We can count ourselves lucky indeed for having narrowly escaped a world plunged into the end of times since the mythical age. In an alternate cosmological order, wherein the decapitated head of Kapila Phrom, defeated in a battle of wits against the gifted child Dharmapalakumar, had touched land, sky or sea, the earth would have been scorched beyond the possibility of life. Thankfully, Kapila Phrom’s head was placed atop a phan and stowed in a cave in Mount Kailash by his seven daughters (Nang Songkran), who, from then on, would each take it on an annual ceremonial circumnavigation of the mountain on the day of the sun’s return to the first celestial house. The beginning of the solar new year: a reminder of a cataclysm averted.
Culture
Making a Splash at the Songkran Festival
Water Splash in Songkran Festival
Image created by Tourism Authority of Thailand Facebook
ภาษาไทย
For many reasons, Songkran remains a cause for celebration for the inhabitants of the parcel of the earth known as Thailand. Mirroring the New Years traditions of other cultures around the world, Songkran opens an aperture to transformation and renewal, distinguished by petitions for good fortune, cleaning and cleansing, and homage to elders, ancestors and deities. Throughout the country, people clean dwellings and temples, wash their clothes, engage in merit-making, release birds and fish, gently pour scented water on elders and teachers, and anoint Buddha images and monks; these aspects of the tradition have endured with little alteration for centuries.
However, Songkran’s international reputation diverges from ancient rhythms of purification, owed in part to the Thai government’s vigorous promotional efforts in recent years. In the contemporary global imagination, Songkran is a nationwide water festival, expected to draw in over 500,000 travelers eager to experience the exuberant, water-soaked romp that seizes the major thoroughfares of Bangkok and the streets of cities and towns throughout the country. Songkran, in other words, is a soft-power goldmine: the five-day holiday heralds a forecast of 24.4 billion baht in revenue this year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Thais anoint seniors at Songkran Festival
Image created by Tourism Authority of Thailand Facebook
Emboldened by the growing international awareness of Songkran, the Thai government has launched a rebranding campaign: Songkran is to become a global festival, with a history, significance and value that has to be re-tailored to fit the contours of global multiculturalism. Last year, Songkran in Thailand was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). This follows the recognition of “Thai Songkran Festival” as one of the three major festivals of Asia by the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) in 2021. As Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibol, the governor of TAT, declares, “The Songkran Festival, which takes place nationwide in Thailand, is an event where boisterous fun and ancient tradition go hand-in-hand. With the inclusion in the UNESCO listing, Songkran 2024 promises to amaze and delight locals and tourists with even grander celebrations.” The TAT will make good on its grand ambitions for Songkran, with a sweeping schedule of activities that includes a Songkran parade representing all five regions of the country that commences on 11 April and anchors at the Sanam Luang ceremonial ground, where there will be cultural performances by over 1,000 performers, until April 15.
Sprinkle water onto a Buddha image in Songkran Festival
Image created by Tourism Authority of Thailand Facebook
Water Splash in Songkran Festival
Image created by Tourism Authority of Thailand Facebook
In communiques on Songkran, Thailand’s Ministry of Culture emphasizes the importance of disseminating the “relevant information” that facilitates knowledge and understanding of the “history, significance and value of the Songkran festival” to keep up with Songkran’s meteoric rise on the global stage. But how can businesses capitalize on the influx of visitors, activities and opportunities generated by major cultural events such as Songkran?
Water Splash in Songkran Festival
Image created by Tourism Authority of Thailand Facebook
According to cultural tourism scripture, travelers are increasingly gravitating towards authentic cultural experiences, which means that tourism-oriented brands and businesses that represent aspects of a country’s cultural heritage stand to benefit over those that fail to integrate cultural specificity into their products, services and identity. In order to harness the social and cultural context of a particular place, businesses must first understand the history, values and practices of local customs and traditions by engaging with local communities and connecting with artisans, cultural guardians and local experts. By doing so, businesses will not only build strong relationships with the communities they operate in, but also play a role in empowering the local economy, all while procuring new opportunities and exploring markets.
Bangkok-based brands and businesses are poised to do just that: showcase the fascinating cultural and historical valences of this ancient tradition while joining in the fun.