Traditional New Year
Laos, Thailand | 1-21 Apr 2024
Thailand and Laos have always been close, sharing beliefs and similar celebrations like traditional New Year. While the Lao New Year or Boun Pi Mai takes place over three days from April 14-16, Thai New Year 2024 will be supersized and celebrated from April 1-21 as “World Songkran Festival”.
In Laos, the festival still retains more of its original gracious character. The best place to experience the traditional rites is Luang Prabang. Best known as the festival of water fights, Lao New Year also offers a gentler, week-long programme of cultural events. Features are a procession, a fair, sand-castle competition on the Mekong, Miss New Year pageant, folk performances, and cultural shows. Events culminate in the carrying of the Prabang – the town’s most precious Buddha – from its home at the National Museum to Wat Mai where it is put on public display as part of a water-blessing ceremony. For more about Thailand’s Songkran, turn to Page 14.