Bonus Writing - April 2007

Thai New Year celebrated in April

by Weerayut Thongprai, Stockton School for Adults

 

My name is Weerayut Thongprai. I’m from Thailand. I speak Thai and a little English. I came to the USA in May 2006. An important holiday in my country is the Songkran Festival. It is also known as the Thai New Year. We celebrate it on April 13, 14 and 15. Many people sprinkle water on older people, monks and Buddha. It means to show them respect. Monks and older people will give you a blessing. After that, people will ‘play’ by splashing water at one another. We buy gifts for our parents, grandparents and older aunts and uncles. We eat special foods. One custom is when children meet older people they bow to them by putting their hands together and then bringing them up to their face. They say, "Sawatdee" which means "hello."