Hat Yai Festivals

Song Kran

Songkran Festival is held on 13 April. In Hat Yai celebrations centre around Niphat Uthit 1, 2, and 3 Roads, from morning till evening - visitors are welcome to join in with their Thai Hosts.

Songkran" is a word from the Sanskrit language which means to "move into" and refers to the orbit of the sun moving into Aries. It marks the end of a 12-month cycle and the beginning of a new solar year. Songkran is therefore the Thai New Year celebration.

About Songkran

This traditional Thai custom of merry-making is the Kingdom's most 'sanuk' (fun-filled) festival, celebrated with tremendous enthusiasm, nation-wide, once a year. In most parts of the country, Songkran extends over a period of 3 days - 13-15 April.

Known the world-over for its characteristic tradition of water-throwing ranging from a courteous sprinkle or a polite splash, to harmless water pistols and showers from garden hoses to the well-aimed bucket or water-cannon delivered in a festive spirit. Without a doubt, on the practical side, Songkran is a refreshing solution to "beating the heat" in the hottest season of the year. There is a however a much deeper significance to "Songkran".

Apart from marking a new beginning, Songkran is also a time for thanksgiving. It is an important time for
individuals to reflect upon the many acts of kindness and thoughtfulness each has personally experienced
and to remember how such acts of generosity and compassion bring peace, happiness and well-being.
Songkran is also the time for reunions and family ties are renewed.

At the heart of each Thai custom and tradition, there is always a logical reason for its existence. The festive elements of the celebration, the cultural values, the social code of conduct and individual belief and practices are intertwined. Songkran embodies the traditional Thai cultural values.

The underlying significance of Songkran is the process of cleansing and purification - the purging of all ills,
misfortune and evil and starting the New Year afresh with all that is good and pure. Water is symbolic of the cleaning process and signifies purity.

Venue: In Songkhla Province, the festival is held at Thai Pavilion, Samila Beach. In Had Yai District, the festival is held at Lee Garden Hotel, Sanehasorn Road and the Hat Yai Municipal Public Park.

Contact information:
TAT Southern Office: Region 1 (in Hat Yai)
Tel: +66 7424 3747, 7423 8518
E-mail: tatsghkl@tat.or.th

Note: Event dates and programme details may be subject to change. To ensure you have the most updated information, please reconfirm details prior to travel.

Chinese New Year

Lots of firecrackers and noise to welcome in the new year and usually some organized musical events
tempting national pop stars down to perform. An interesting custom during chinese New Year in Hat Yai is to release caged birds and make a wish at the same time. There are people on the streets with cages full of birds waiting to be released.

Organised festivities take place at Sri Nakhon School, Hat Yai district Festival highlights Lion Dance Demonstration of Chinese customs, traditions and way of life including the presentation of ritual offerings at the family altar

Background

Sino-Thai trade and cultural ties span the centuries. In times past, sea-farers, marine merchants and traders sailed up the kingdom’s rivers with vessels laden with merchandise and precious goods including Chinese tea, silk and fine porcelain. As trade between the two countries flourished, permanent settlements of peoples of various ethnic Chinese origin particularly Cantonese, Tae Chiew, Hainan (Hakka) were soon established along the river banks. Early immigrants and settlers quickly adapted to their new way of life and adopted Thai ways. However they continued to maintain strong cultural ties and practiced the customs and traditions diligently observed by their forefathers. Of these, the celebration of the Chinese New Year remains the most important of annual festivals on the Chinese lunar calendar observed in the various regions of Thailand as well as in various countries around the world.

Such riverside communities, former trading hubs, still exist today, the most famous of these being Bangkok’s ‘Chinatown’ or Yawaraj, and the Pak Nam Pho community on the estuary of Pho River in Nakhon Sawan province, noted for its ritual processions. Here, the Chinese New Year celebrations are held over a period of four days as traditionally observed.

The lighting of fire-crackers to chase away evil spirits, particularly those causing sickness as well as to bring good fortune. Additionally, it was believed that the fire-crackers would awaken the deities and guardian spirits who are the custodians of good health, good fortune and prosperity and watch over the well-being of the people in the community.

The traditional ‘Lion Dance’ is a masked dance. According to traditional Chinese beliefs, the lion is associated with qualities such as courage, stability and superiority.

From modest beginnings as an opening act or prelude that preceded the main act in stage performances,
the Lion Dance grew in stature during the Sung dynasty. The Lion Dance was performed during warfare in
which it was used as an effective ‘weapon’ of war. Frightened by the intolerable din of clashing cymbals and drums that accompanies the Lion Dance, armies were soon left in a fray as horses and elephants of enemy forces fled the scene. Subsequently during the Ming dynasty, the Lion was performed to chase away ghosts and evil spirits. It became a natural complement to the lighting of fire-crackers.

Tham Bun Duean Sip

Tham Bun Duean Sip is another southern tradition that is held on the full moon of the tenth lunar month.
This festival grew from the belief that during the new moon phase in the tenth month, the souls of the deceased relatives and friends, especially those not yet reborn would be released to meet the living relatives. So the living would prepare foods to offer them to the monks in their names. In Sathing Phra this festivity is different than in other districts whereby tall gold figures are paraded as the “proxy” for the deceased who were respected by the villagers.

Lak Phra and Tak Bat Thewo (giving alms) is held on the new moon in the eleventh lunar month, around
October of every year in Amphoe Mueang Songkhla. The festivity would start one day before the actual day to wrap a large cloth around the top of the Chedi on Khao Tang Kuan. In the morning of the festival day, alms are offered to monks (tak bat thewo) at the foot of the hill. Several hundred monks would walk down from Khao Tang Kuan to receive the offerings. Late in the morning monks travelling by boat from other temples in Songkhla would proceed along the waterfront so the Buddhist can offer alms and pull their boats along. Such acts are considered highly merited. The monks’ boats would congregate at the lotus pond to participate in the boat decoration contest. On the festival ground there are also art and culture performances.