Songkran- Thai New Year

Thai New Year is based on the Buddhist lunar calendar- this year is 2550! They have four days holiday from 13-16 April. It is a time to initiate new monks and 9 is the lucky number so 109 monks were blessed in this area. It is also a time to clean the Buddhas, deities and to appease the water god. We spent this time in Nong Khai overlooking the Mekong River towards Laos and just down from the Thai-Lao Friendship bridge built by the Australians.
The celebrations opened with the finals of this game . It is played with a cane ball and looked like a mix of soccer and volleyball.

The next day we assembled at the guesthouse gates with huge pottery tubs of Mekong River water and joined in the blessing with water for good luck. Utes streamed past ladden with huge bins of water and well wishers. They had pump-action water pistols, bags of tapioca flour, itchy powder, Thai perfume and litres and litres of icy cold Mekong River water. It was a war!
One day of this was tiring enough. We took refuge in the guesthouse overlooking the Mekong River and Laos. You couldn't go to the shop without getting totally drenched and coated in flour!

Parading the gold Buddah. Well wishers poured water and flower petals on the statue and rubbed their heads.

One evening there was a float parade of Miss Songkran entrants and Songkran Ladyboy entrants. Now we will head towards the Chiang Mai area.