Songkran 2027
The Thai new year, delivered by water cannon.
Countdown to Songkran 2027
Dates
When is Songkran?
Songkran 2027 falls from Tuesday, 13 April 2027 to Thursday, 15 April 2027.
Fixed national holiday, 13–15 April; Chiang Mai's water fights often start a day or two early.
Date checked against timeanddate.com
| Year | Dates | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 – 15 April 2026Mon – Wed | 3 days | Past |
| 2027 | 13 – 15 April 2027Tue – Thu | 3 days | Confirmed |
See every festival by date in the 2026 festival calendar and 2027 festival calendar.
The story
What it is, and why it matters
- Type
- Water Festival
- Tradition
- Buddhist
- Where
- Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand
- Crowd
- Millions nationwide
- UNESCO
- Inscribed intangible heritage
The moat around Chiang Mai's old city becomes a three-day free-for-all. Plastic guns, iced buckets, and a pickup truck with a barrel in the back.
Songkran is the traditional new year across South and Southeast Asia, fixed astronomically rather than on 1 January. In Thailand it runs officially from 14 to 15 April and unofficially for about a week.
The water is originally a blessing — poured over the hands of elders and over Buddha images in temples. Chiang Mai escalated that into a city-wide water fight, and Khaosan Road in Bangkok followed, which is where most visitors encounter it first.
Culture
Traditions, food and music of Songkran
Traditions
What actually happens
- Rod nam dam hua — pouring scented water over an elder's hands to ask for blessing.
- Bathing the Buddha — temple images ritually washed with jasmine water.
- Sand pagodas — carrying sand to the temple to replace the dirt carried out on your sandals.
- Building the nava — new year house-building, now mostly a public park display.
Food
The table, widened
- Khao chae — jasmine-scented rice served in cool iced water, the definitive summer dish.
- Mango sticky rice, grilled river prawns and endless 7-Eleven rehydration salt.
Music
Sound of the crowd
Isaan mor lam on truck speakers in the provinces; luk thung on the pickup beds; EDM on the floating stages. In Bangkok, Khaoosan Road simply plays the top of the charts at enormous volume for 72 hours.
Religion
Why this date
Songkran derives from the Sanskrit saṅkrānti and marks the sun's entry into Aries. It is Theravada Buddhist in observance but astronomically Hindu in origin — a good illustration of how the mainland Southeast Asian calendar was assembled.
History
How it survived
The date was the official Thai new year until 1940, when the government switched the civil calendar to 1 January and kept Songkran as a holiday. In 2024 Thailand extended the official festival window to nearly a week to spread tourist arrivals.
History
How it got here
The date was the official Thai new year until 1940, when the government switched the civil calendar to 1 January and kept Songkran as a holiday. In 2024 Thailand extended the official festival window to nearly a week to spread tourist arrivals.
Antiquity
Saṅkrānti
Solar new year rites shared across South and Southeast Asia.
1940
Calendar switch
Thailand adopts 1 January; Songkran survives as the cultural new year.
1990s
The water fight
Chiang Mai's moat and Bangkok's Khaosan Road turn the blessing into a battle.
2024
Week-long
The official window is extended to spread arrivals across the country.
Travel & practical
Visiting Chiang Mai for Songkran
Getting there
CNX is 15 minutes from Chiang Mai's old city. BKK for the Khaosan Road version.
Survival kit
Waterproof phone pouch, reef shoes, goggles, and a dry bag for anything you need to keep.
Practical notes
Never throw water at monks, children, or anyone working. Also never at a police officer.
Plan the trip with free AltFTool tools
FAQ
Songkran: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask most about Songkran.
Do I get soaked?
Yes, continuously, for three days. Assume every item of clothing you bring will be ruined.
Is there a gentler version?
Temple mornings on 14 April are the traditional, calm observance — water over hands, food to monks.
What is closed?
Banks and government offices. Alcohol sales are banned on some days; shops shut by 6pm in places.
Also in April 2027
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