Wan Lai in Pattaya

If you are visiting Pattaya somewhere in the middle of April do not forget to stay till 19th of April. Then you can surely be a part of the Wan Lai Festival. The famous Wan Lai festival is probably an extended celebration of Sangkran, a Thai festival that is celebrated on the occasion of Thai New Year. The Wan Lai day is a special festival that is celebrated locally in and around Pattaya and is one of the specialties of this region. The rituals of this festival are very beautiful. You are surely going to enjoy a lot taking part in this wonderful festival.

In Thai language Wan Lai festival means flower water festival and the festival is as beautiful as its name. The Wan Lai festival is traditionally a festival which is celebrated in the eastern region of Thailand. This festival begins with the Sangkran festival which is one of the most well known festivals of Thailand. In Sangkran festival people welcome the Thai New Year with joy and gusto. This festival takes place around 13th to 15th of April in rest of the country other than the eastern Thailand. The Wan Lai day follows immediately after that. In eastern Thailand, the Sangkran festival begins around 16th or April and ends on 19th of the same month.

Some of the fun traditions of Sangkran are followed in the Wan Lai day. Like Sangkran in Wan Lai festival too, people carry water barrels, water guns and other watering agents on street and drench each other. It is surely a fun way to cool off. April is one of the hottest months in Thailand, so this drench comes as a refreshing and welcome change to the people of Thailand. Different processions, paying respect to the elders and praying at the monasteries are the other rituals that are performed in the Wan Lai day.