Revellers in Thailand started the traditional new year or Songkran water festival with a splash on Friday, cooling off from the city’s heat by throwing water at each other on the streets of the capital Bangkok.
“(Songkran) has a lot of meaning to me because I could meet friends I hadn’t met since high school or university. It’s very fun to meet with my old friends,” said 18-year-old local Chavanin Kalayanamitra.
Pouring water symbolises cleansing, reverence and good fortune in an ancient ritual that has grown in recent decades into what is sometimes described as the world’s biggest water fight.
The boisterous festival, which officially lasts for three days but always goes on longer, is a major draw for tourists.
“It’s like a completely different world, you know. We love it,” said Flora, 30, a tourist from France.
