Wash your troubles away
Thai people forgot their troubles and put aside their differences yesterday kicking off the Songkran festival with wet and wild water fights across the country. (Lots of photos)
Thai people forgot their troubles and put aside their differences yesterday kicking off the Songkran festival with wet and wild water fights across the country. (Lots of photos)
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A worker hosed down Songkran revellers gathered on crowded Silom Road in the sweltering hot weather. CHANAT KATANYU
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Wash your troubles away
POST REPORTERS
Thai people forgot their troubles and put aside their differences yesterday kicking off the Songkran festival with wet and wild water fights across the country. In Bangkok, governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra marked the start of the Thai New Year festivities by presiding over a merit making ceremony in the morning, giving alms to 185 monks.
Revellers — Thais and foreign tourists — joined the water splashing free-for-all in several areas, including Silom Road, Khao San Road, and outside Centralworld shopping centre.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, husband Anusorn Amornchat and son Nong Pipe join Songkran celebrations in her home province of Chiang Mai after presiding over an ‘‘Alcohol-free Songkran’’ campaign. POOL PHOTO
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra went to the North to open the Songkran festival in her hometown, Chiang Mai.
In the morning she joined the public in giving alms to 99 monks.
The prime minister also wished the Thai people a happy Songkran or Thai New Year’s Day.
She said the happiness of Thai people would encourage her to continue to work.
Youths armed with water guns take aim at other revellers outside the Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel in Hat Yai district, Songkhla. An upbeat mood has returned to Hat Yai after the city was rocked by a car bomb at the hotel on March 31. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD
The start of the Songkran festival also made a big splash in Hat Yai, in Songkhla. Crowds of Thai and foreign revellers enjoyed water-splashing activities despite high security levels in the area. The festivities provided some light relief as revellers tried to put the recent bomb attack in the downtown area, which killed three people and injured hundreds, behind them.
Hundreds of security officers are patrolling during the festival.
In the southernmost provinces, water splashing festivities also kicked off amid tightened security.
In Narathiwat, people travelled on the backs of pickup trucks, loaded with water-filled plastic barrels roaming the streets soaking others while in Sungai Kolok, bordering Malaysia, both Thai and Malaysian tourists participated in water throwing.
Water activities began earlier in Chiang Mai than most parts of the country. CHEEWIN SATTHA
Getting home is the hard part for many people during Songkran. Here a pregnant woman sits on the floor of a train from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani. She and many other passengers did not book a ticket in advance and the trains out of Bangkok are mostly overbooked during the Songkran festival. PATIPAT JANTHONG
Lao teenagers make a splach in Vientiene, the capital of Laos. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD
Foreign tourists join the building of sand pagodas at Wat Pho in Bangkok. The temple holds Songkran rites and side activities including traditional performances from April 12 to 16. PATIPAT JANTHONG
reveller – someone who enjoys themselves at a party or celebration คนที่ชอบงานฉลอง ความสนุกสนานและงานรื่นเริง
crowded – packed; full of people or things แน่น
sweltering – to be very hot in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable ร้อนมาก
kick off – to begin an event; to launch เริ่มต้น, เริ่มทำ
mark – to celebrate something เพื่อเฉลิมฉลอง
festivities – the parties, meals and other social activities with which people celebrate a special occasion การเฉลิมฉลอง
preside – to be in charge of an official meeting, ceremony or other event เป็นประธาน ในพิธี ในที่ประชุม
alms – food, money, and other items that are given to Buddhist monks; ของทำบุญ
throng – to go somewhere or be present somewhere in large numbers แห่, ไปกันเป็นพวกเป็นหมู่มากๆ, ยกโขยง
splash – to hit something noisily with a liquid กระเด็นเปื้อน, สาดกระเด็น
free-for-all – a situation in which there are no rules or controls and everyone acts for their own advantage
campaign – a series of actions intended to produce political or social change การรณรงค์
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
encourage – to cause someone to have more confidence or hope about something ทำให้มีกำลังใจ
take aim – to point a weapon at somebody/something เล็งเป้าหมาย, ตั้งเป้า
upbeat – happy and positive because you are confident or hopeful that you will get what you want มีความหวัง
mood – the way you feel at a particular time อารมณ์
rock – to shock, surprise, or frighten someone ทำให้ตกใจ, ทำให้สั่นสะเทือน
splash – something that attracts a lot of attention เรื่องครึกโครม, ข่าวครึกโครม
security – protection; systems providing for safety from attack, harm, or damage ระบบรักษาความปลอดภัย
relief – help for improving a bad physical condition or a bad situation การผ่อนคลาย, การบรรเทา
patrol – to move regularly around a place in order to prevent trouble or crime or to watch for an enemy ลาดตระเวน
amid – in the middle of; at the same time as ท่ามกลาง, ระหว่าง
roam – to move or travel around in no particular direction เดินโดยปราศจากจุดหมาย
soak – to make someone/something very wet เปียกโชก
participate – to take part in or become involved in an activity มีส่วน
pregnant – having a baby developing inside the body ท้อง ตั้งครรภ์
in advance – before the time that is expected; before something happens ล่วงหน้า
overbook – to sell more tickets on a plane/train/bus, etc. or reserve more rooms in a hotel than there are places available จองตั๋วมากกว่าที่มี
capital – the most important town or city of a country, usually where the central government operates from เมืองหลวง
rite – a traditional ceremony, especially a religious one พิธีกรรม (พระราชพิธี)
traditional – of a custom, a way of life or a way of doing things that has not changed for a long time เป็นประเพณี, ตามธรรมเนียม
performance – the act of carrying out some type of entertainment or sport การแสดง
