Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
Songkran in Thailand - statistics and facts
Songkran, arguably Thailand鈥檚 most important festival and holiday, marks the traditional Thai New Year celebration. The week around Songkran is also known as the 鈥淪even Dangerous Days鈥 due to a significant increase in traffic violations and road accidents. The event marks an important date on the Buddhist calendar and always takes place from April 13th to 15th. Derived from Sanskrit, the word Songkran means transformation or change. Therefore, this period is regarded as a time for new beginnings, cleansing rituals, and merit-making. Nonetheless, while Songkran is regarded as the traditional Thai New Year, Thailand also observes the 1st of January as the official New Year.
