Songkran water festival 2017: Thailand celebrates unique new year festival with much joy

The Songkran festival, also known as the water festival, marks the start of Thailand's traditional New Year and it is believed to wash away bad luck. The festival is also celebrated as the Thai New Year. Songkran festival is observed from April 13 to April 15.

Residents spend these three days of the festival with fun-filled water fights and non-stop revelries. People celebrate Songkran by splashing water on each other in the form of a wish for a year filled with blessings. This is the time when locals also pay respect to their elders by pouring water through their hands - a gesture meant to symbolise purification ahead of the New Year.

The Songkran celebration is rich with symbolic traditions. Mornings begin with merit-making. Visiting local temples and offering food to the Buddhist monks is commonly practiced. On this specific occasion, performing water pouring on Buddha statues is considered an iconic ritual for this holiday.

Bangkok city sees a number of Songkran parties and foam parties on the occasion of the festival. Traditional parades are held and in some venues "Miss Songkran" is crowned. In this gallery, IBTimes Singapore brings you a glimpse of the Songkran water festival in Thailand.