Jintana Maensurin (right), acting director
of the Pattaya Education Office, leads a meeting to prepare for April’s
Songkran celebrations and rice festivals.
Warunya Thongrod
Songkran still may be two months away, but Pattaya officials
already are making plans to bring at least some sanity to Thai New Year
bedlam.
Education Department Director Jintana Maensurin and City Councilwoman
Chanansa Sutthithamrongsawat met with representatives from Pattaya’s 42
communities Feb. 13 at city hall to plan the April 18-20 ‘wan lai” and
rice festivals.
Activities begin April 18 with the Naklua “wan lai” water-throwing
festival. Alms will be offered to 99 monks at Lan Po Park at 7 a.m. and
a Buddha parade will proceed around Naklua Market beginning at 10 a.m.
The elderly will receive gentle water blessings before crowds begin to
throw wet stuff on anyone and everyone.
Pattaya takes its turn April 19, starting with religious ceremonies and
alms giving at Chaimongkol Temple at 8:30 a.m. The city’s Buddha parade
will attempt to roll up Beach Road to the Dolphin Roundabout and back to
Chaimongkol at noon.
