The Independent

Water guns are in full blast to mark Thai New Year festivities despite worries about heat wave

Source: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

It's water festival time in Thailand where many are marking the country's traditional New Year, splashing each other with colorful water guns and buckets in an often raucous celebration that draws thousands of people, even as this year the Southeast Asian nation marks record-high temperatures causing concern.

The festival, known as Songkran in Thailand, is a three-day shindig that starts Saturday and informally extends for a whole week, allowing people to travel for family celebrations. The holiday is also celebrated under different names in neighboring, and , which like Thailand have populations that are predominantly Theravada Buddhist.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Independent

The Independent4 min read
Rory McIlroy Faces Final Day Battle To End Major Drought As Bryson DeChambeau Leads US Open
Rory McIlroy will have to overturn a three-shot deficit to end his major drought after a stunning performance from Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst. DeChambeau made a mockery of Shane Lowry’s prediction that level par could have a good chance to win th
The Independent6 min read
How To Understand The 2024 General Election? These Books Will Help
The leaders have been slugging it out on TV debates. The memes have been coming thick and fast. And now, we’ve got all of the party manifestos. Make no mistake: we’re in the middle of election fever – and there’s still three weeks to go. Elections ma
The Independent1 min read
German Police Shoot Person Armed With Axe Ahead Of Euro 2024 Game In Hamburg
German police have shot a person they say was armed with an axe in Hamburg just hours before the city staged its first game of Euro 2024. Reports on social media said the incident took place near a fan park where Netherlands fans were gathered ahead

Related Books & Audiobooks