EXCLUSIVE!! CHIANG MAI SONGKRAN FESTIVAL 2012

From: 12 APR 2012
Until: 15 APR 2012
Venue: Chiang Mai City, Chiang Mai, Thailand

What is Songkran Festival?

Songkran festival is the celebration to the Thai New Year from 13 to 15 April of every year. The country has adopted the first of January as the beginning of the year for decades, this traditional new year (or Thai new year referred to by the locals) holds its place as one of the most important national holidays. More and more, the celebration around the country are being harmonised to the same period; however, variations can be found in many regions. For examples, in Chonburi, the traditional celebration starts from 16 APR and last for a few days; while the celebration in some northern parts of the country can last more than a week.

In modern time, people associate this festival with the water throwing event; traditional events, however, is much different. Songkran period can be referred to one of the most spiritual and religious events. It is the time to come home! What is beyond that is the chance for the family meet-up; the chance for paying respect to parents who live in the other part of the country.   Especially to those who relocate to the urban area for work, Songkran is a do-or-die business for them to come home.
The origin of water throwing in Songkran Festival might be from 'water pouring'. Even today, the locals still pour traditional fragrance water to their elders wishing them well and for their blessings. The Buddha images are poured signalling the 'bathing' of the images to bring good luck and prosperity. Pouring water also mean washing the bad things away. Although when it is not to the elders, our water pouring are not very gentle. Whence came water throwing!

Food for thought!

It is somehow challenging for the Thais to continue their traditional activities in the ever-growing-water-throwing-tourist-attracting environment.  Although many institutions have publicised their view to do it the 'middle way', these campaigns can reach only a minority of the people.  Many provinces start creating (or copying) their own water-throwing-battle-royale-street just to attract tourists who do not care of anything but to have fun.  Personally, I hope we realise more of the spiritual part of this festival ere it is completely gone.  And hey, I am not even a traditionalist!

@ Chiang Mai

The Northern parts of Thailand are famous for preserving the traditional parts of this festival; at the same time, tourists are well entertained.  Among those regions, Chiang Mai live to its famous name for tourists.  Its festival, coordinated by the Chiang Mai municipality, will have a grand opening ceremony with a wonderful procession around Chiang Mai city.  Tourists can join the real Songkran by pouring the fragrance water to the Buddha images and elders; experiencing the famous local performances and food.  Needless to say, Chiang Mai is also a centre for the controvercial water throwing festival.  So, you can have a complete package here.

Personally, I do recommend you to book in advance.  Since many people will be travelling, both locals and tourists, travelling there by plane to avoid traffic jam on such period is also crucial.  Book ASAP!!!

For more information contact: Chiang Mai Municipality Office Tel. +66 (53) 25 90 00

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chiang Mai Office Tel. +66 (53) 24 86 04, 07 Fax.+66 (53) 24 86 05

Website : http://www.tourismthailand.org/chiangmai

E-mail : tatchmai@tat.or.th

Thanks:
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Wikipedia

MORE DOI PHA HOM POK & DOI ANG KHANG, CHIANG MAI, 2007 PART 4

**DOI ANG KHANG**

After a cold night, the company started with a bright hope in the misty morning.  The sun rose stunningly here without too much trouble of climbing to the top of the mountain.  The tour led us to the Doi Ang Khang's royal research centre.  I do not want to be repetitive to my previous series (here) so I am not going to describe all the things here again and again.  I will just skip forward to the photo part, this time, most of them are the good old memory with my family though ;)  I also did some naughty things with my photos, yes, for a change ;)

This is the last part of this series showing Doi Ang Khang at its best. If not because my camera was running out of battery, I'd have more photos to share; an expensive experience for me.

Thank you guys for following my webblog.  See you next time!

MORE DOI PHA HOM POK & DOI ANG KHANG, CHIANG MAI, 2007 PART 3

Note from blogmaster:  Time flew.  It was more than a month since my last chapter but hey, I'm back guys!

**ON THE WAY TO DOI ANG KHANG**

Our trip continued shortly after we came back down from the mountain top and broke our fast.  Compared to my last trip, I was less famished this time since I took a bit of snacks with me.  Experience did help!  We started by travelling down the steep slope to the foot of Doi Pha Hom Pok mountain.

'One down, one more to go', I thought.

Chiang Mai is a home of orange farms with stunning landscape and I recommend you guys to visit one of them if you have a chance to.  Along the way, we have visited a very nice little orange farm.  The owner allowed us to explore and collect a handful of very good looking oranges from the trees.  Among my family, mom was the worst when she climbed the Doi Pha Hom Pok and needed my brother to drag her up the slope; however, she is the most skillful in choosing ripe oranges.  She came back to life, started her selecting, picking, and tasting.  And I was probably one of the worsts, if not the worst in reckoning the ripe oranges.  I knew it will turn very orange when ripe, but hell yeah, what is the difference between this and that orange shade.  Hmmm, probably the saying that women are better in differentiating colours are true after all...

From the green and productive orange farm, the group moved up the steep slope again.  The road to Doi Ang Khang are very close to Thailand's border with Myanmar.  There are soldier bases here and there.  One famous soldier base is called "Nor-Lae" and it was the place we rested and enjoyed ourselves for a while.  It was already afternoon.  The place was well preserved and reminded me of my first visit with the other group of friend yesteryear.  We spent our time exploring and taking photos.  The large arrow in the photo below is supposed to show where the north is.

We arrived in the valley of Doi Ang Khang before sunset.  The night was spent in the local primary school premises (we were with Trekking Thai, mind you).  We were looking forward to the beautiful morning in the exotic garden.

The garden will be in the next part...

MORE DOI PHA HOM POK & DOI ANG KHANG, CHIANG MAI, 2007 PART 2

NOTE FROM BLOGMASTER

Erm... if you are a true fan of my blog, you will have a few experiences reading a post without a picture.  Now, I am doing just an opposite thing.  What an incocsistent fool am I?  Anyway, sometimes you just need it!!

**DOI PHA HOM POK THE PICTURE**

Since many details was included in the last series of DOI PHA HOM POK & DOI ANG KHANG, this part of the travel is like a bombardment of gorgeous photos. You can find more detail regarding this place in the LIST OF SERIES page.  Here are some gorgeous pictures around the national park's office.

Then, the top of Doi Pha hom pok and the beautiful sunrise...

And the temperature was...

And now, we are on our way DOWN... The forest looked fabulous as always...

What a great start of the day it was...  Now we were back to the camping site...

And right down to the ground to prepare for the next mountain...

Doi Ang Khang... Oh... that was the whole group I think...

Next PART is HERE...