- Title: THAILAND: Bangkok ushers in New Year with water festival
- Date: 13th April 2014
- Summary: KHAOSAN ROAD, BANGKOK, THAILAND (APRIL 13, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SPLASHING WATER ON KHAOSAN ROAD WOMAN WALKING THROUGH STREAM OF WATER ON KHAOSAN ROAD TOURISTS GETTING SPLASHED BY WATER GUNS, BUCKETS TOURISTS BEING SHOT BY WATER GUNS TOURISTS SHOOTING HUGE WATER GUNS TOURISTS IN WATER FIGHT ON KHAOSAN ROAD TOURIST BEING TARGETED IN WATER FIGHT (SOUNDBITE) (Engl
- Embargoed: 28th April 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Thailand
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: Quirky,People,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA7GUVXRXOVTJCNBHSFFX7QG86P
- Story Text: Bangkok resident and tourists splashed water on each other on Sunday (April 13) to celebrate the annual Songkran water festival and to cool off from the heat.
It symbolises the washing off of misfortunes and a welcoming of the new year with a fresh start.
Equipped with water gun and buckets, people from young to old take part in the water fights.
"I think really good, everybody is respecting each other and everybody's happy and no one is fighting. Just one happy festival, real nice. Only the water is too cold," said Jeroen Schaars, 25, from Amsterdam.
Some roads were closed off temporarily for people to move around freely.
Anti-government protests have also been halted for the Thai New Year.
"I think this is good. It (Thailand) should always have been this peaceful and free from conflicts," said 55-year old Anon Dechanont.
"Songkran is a good day for all Thai people. I really hope that everything will get better during this Thai New Year," said a protest leader Puttipong Punnakan.
The celebration in Thailand usually runs from April 13 to 15. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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