Songkran, a festival that marks the Traditional Thai New Year, took place in Hong Kong over the weekend.
What is Songkran?
Being Thailand’s largest festival, Songkran is celebrated from April 13 to 15 every year in Thailand. During this period, the country transforms into a wet and wild party where locals and visitors engage in activities like spirited water fights, hose and water gun battles.
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Songkran in Hong Kong 2025
As a diverse city where different cultures merge, Hong Kong celebrated Songkran from April 11 to 13 this year in the Carpenter Road Park in Kowloon City, which features Thai carnival activities, musical and dance performances, colourful decorations and booths with authentic Thai cuisine, like mango sticky rice.
Despite the water splashing event being cancelled due to bad weather on the second day of Songkran, the crowds still managed to find their way to have fun. “It is disappointing that the water splashing event got cancelled today but it is understandable,” Jacky Chan, a 20-year-old local student expressed, “I am still happy to be here because there are really good food. It is just a pity (that we didn’t get to use our water guns inside the basketball court).”
Significance of Songkran to Thai people in Hong Kong
While it is fun to play with water guns, Songkran is not solely about having fun. This festival manifests the spirit of cleansing and renewal, with water splashing symbolizing the washing away of past misfortunes and inviting new beginnings.
“I am really happy to be here. Most of the people speak Thai and the food is so good. They just remind me of home,” Naheed Hussain Kithurul Ameen, a 21-year-old Thai student who moved to study in Hong Kong three years ago said, “They give me a sense of belonging even though I am far away from home.”
“When I was living in Thailand, my family and I would visit the temple and pray for blessings. To me, Songkran has this religious and cultural significance and I am not able to celebrate it with my family anymore now that I am in Hong Kong,” Apissara Chaimongkol, a 32-year-old Thai housewife who has been living in Hong Kong in the past 5 years said, “So, it is really nice to see dance and Muay Thai performances because it shows our culture and I think it is important to know that Songkran is beyond just the famous water splashing,”
