JULY WRITING CHALLENGE

Celebrating the Thai New Year

Songkran — a very different time in the year

I didn’t know much about the Thai culture and certainly wasn’t aware of them having a different calendar. On our previous visit to the country, I learned as much as that they do have a different alphabet as well.

But this time it was different. We were here for work. My husband had gotten the job offer at the skydiving company and I came along. Sooner or later I knew I’d manage to push into a camera position as well.

This was in April 2019.

However, it was our first time in Asia. Living in Asia. Working in Thailand. It was super busy at work and we were staying in the city of Pattaya. In case you’ve never heard of it — you didn’t miss anything.

If Pattaya is famous for anything, it’s for being the sex capital of the world.

So no, not our kind of place.

But we were there. Entered a six-day working week, left the apartment at 7 am, and returned with the shuttle bus somewhere around 9 pm. There wasn’t much time for exploring and finding alternatives to stay in but just to walk down the street and find something to eat.

What we didn’t know is that the Thais just started to celebrate their new year.

And while we westerners do one big party on the 31st of December, the Thais celebrate for one entire week through. Like crazy. From the morning until late at night.

How?

With pick-up trucks and loud music driving through the streets. With drums filled with water and water pistols starting a fight on the streets.

That isn’t bad. I mean it’s Thailand. It's hot. I don’t mind getting some water splashes on me in that humid and hot climate. Surely not.

But it’s not just water.

They use flour and baby powder too. Throwing that wide powder into each other’s faces brings it all to a whole new level. Mixing flour with water you all know what a mess it creates when not done properly.

Here we go.

Here were people walking on the streets they could barely see through the clay created on their faces.

But the Thais are a friendly nation. They don’t let you get away with it as a foreigner but they stopped us friendly and made gentle stripes with the powder on our faces.

To show we are part of the celebration too and that we’re invited to join the party.

They also helped each other. More than once did I see a homeowner pulling a person off the streets whose entire head was covered in a white mess just to wash their faces off with clean water.

Until the next crazy person walks by and throws another load of it into their face.

And no, I don’t have a single picture showing these kinds of scenes because first of all it was in the beginning in a new city and I did not know yet how safe or unsafe the place was. Therefore I left my camera in the flat.

Just soon after the big festival, we left the city of Pattaya and found an apartment further north, out of the hectic city life and closer to work.

We really enjoyed our time in Thailand and were sad when we had to leave at the beginning of 2020. But that’s another story…

This was a writing prompt response to the monthly challenge of Globetrotters.

Celebrations around the world

This writing challenge runs through the month of July. The last day for submissions is the 30th. Here is a list of the latest articles for you to find inspiration:

Jerry Dwyer with “We Celebrate Easter Across the Oceans in the Spring”

Kim Baker with “Turkish Teething Ceremony: Fun, Delicious and Useful!”

Julie van Maanen with “When The Last Thing I Wanted To Hear Was ‘Alegria’(Happiness)”

Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages with “Fiji For the Millenium”

More celebrations around the world:

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