Text for questions 4 to 9.The Songkran festival is celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year's Day.
It is celebrated from 13 to 15 April. It coincides with the New Year of many calendars
of South and Southeast Asian countries. It is believed to have been adapted from the
Sankranti Hindu festival. It is now observed nationwide even in the far south.





However, the most famous Songkran celebrations are still in-the--northern--city
of Chiang Mai, where it lasts for six days and even longer. It has also become a party
for foreigners and an additional reason for tourists to visit Thailand. The most obvious
celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water to other people. Thais roam the
streets with containers of water or water guns. In addition, many Thais will have small
bowls of cheap beige coloured talc and mixed with water which is then smeared on the
faces and bodies of random passersby as a blessing for the new year. City officials
close off many sections of the street for the festival.







Besides the throwing of water, people celebrate Songkran by going to a wat
(Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They also cleanse Buddha
images in the household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries by gently
pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance over them. It is believed that doing this will
bring good luck and prosperity in the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mart of
Buddha images from all of the city's important monasteries are paraded through the
streets so that people can toss water at them, ritually "bathing' the images as they
pass.
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