During the time when we have Songkran Festival (12th of April – 16th of April 2023), we are giving out free traditional small shoulder bags, starting 1st of April till 30th of April 2023.
What is Songkran?
Songkran Festival (เทศกาลสงกรานต์) is the Thai New Year’s national holiday. Songkran is on 13 April every year, but the holiday period extends from 14 to 15 April. In 2018 the Thai cabinet extended the festival nationwide to five days, 12–16 April, to enable citizens to travel home for the holiday. In 2019, the holiday was observed 12–16 April as 13 April fell on a Saturday. The word “Songkran” comes from the Sanskrit word saṃkrānti, literally “astrological passage”, meaning transformation or change.
It coincides with the rising of Aries on the astrological chart and with the New Year of many calendars of Southeast and South Asia, in keeping with the Buddhist and Hindu Calendar. The New Year takes place at virtually the same time as the new year celebrations of many countries in South Asia like Bangladesh, China (Dai People of Yunnan Province), India (Baisakhi in Punjab, Bengal Gajan Utsav, Bengal Charak Utsav, Bengali New Year (Poyla Baisakh/Nababarsha) in West Bengal and Tripura, Bihu in Assam,Gudipadva in Maharashtra, Pana or Mahabisuba Sankranti in Odisha, Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Vishu in Kerala etc.), Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Celebrating Songkran at Kerchor Elephant Family Phuket
During the time from 12th of April till 16th of April 2023, we are celebrating Songkran together with our elephants. We are thinking, that it’s a great combination when having our program and bathing together with the elephants, as they do like water a lot!
