Southeast Asia's second largest economy celebrates its New Year with water festival
Revelers play with water as they celebrate the Songkran holiday, which marks the Thai New Year, in Bangkok, Thailand, April 13, 2025. Photo by Reuters Revelers dressed in colorful shirts and goggles fired water guns at each other at the start of the Thai New Year on Sunday, a festival that is marked with water as a symbol of renewal, cleansing and a fresh start. Some sprayed water from the back of pickup trunks, and everyone expected to get soaked as the Songkran festival got underway. "Today I came well-prepared. I have my weapons – four (water) guns. I've got goggles and a hat for protection, and a waterproof phone pouch ready to go," said Teera Rachapol, 50. The celebrations are a bright spot for the country's tourism industry, with the government expecting an 8% increase in foreign visitors for the week. "This is totally different. And we didn't know what to expect, but it's very fun. I love it. I love the water," said Tinke Stockman, 20, from ...