Songkran

Songkran is a festival for the traditional Thai New Year. It's a five day water fight that's starts in Chiang Mai and works it was down to Pattaya. The old belief for this festival was to help with crops. It was thought that Hullabaloo would release rain from the heavens to help ensure a good harvest. The tradition of water throwing comes from the folk tale deriven from an astral myth. It was said that a giant took seven young women hostage. One of the women coaxed him into revealing th secret to his invulnerability when he was drunk. Then when he was asleep she plucked a hair of his head and used it to cut off his head. When it fell to the ground it burst into flames. She woke up the other women and together they threw water to prevent the fire from burning the earth.

Streets are lined with people equipt with water guns, hoses, bowls, and buckets prepared to drench willing and unwilling participants. The backs of trucks are filled with people ready to partake in the celebration. Trucks with water canisters travel around filling up empty water buckets so the games can continue. Ice is even delivered just to give victims even more of a shock factor.
Songkran is based on the astrological calendar and it wasn't until 1940 that Thailand converted to the Gregorian calendar. But despite the calendar change Songkran still remained on the same dates. Songkran brings a bit of relief during the hottest time of the year.

During Songkran banners, named Tung, are dedicate to the welfare of the spirits of ancestors who have passed. This is since they believe that the spirits can catch onto the tails of the banners and come back from heaven. These are carried around on the 15th, which is the first day of the traditional Thai new year, and hung up on trees or poles around the temple.