Songkran in Thailand

When is Songkran 2027?

Songkran 2027 runs from Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April, and all three days are public holidays on the Bank of Thailand's 2027 holiday list.

The festival runs longer than the holiday: Bangkok's official events start a couple of days early, and Pattaya's beach festival follows a few days after.

The Songkran 2027 programme comes out early in the year, and we post the times the day it's out.

See every festival date on the Thailand party calendar, and Thailand in April for the weather that week.

Ask Tanner to pencil in your dates now.

What to book first

For Songkran, villas sell out first, then flights, then cars.

Pool villas in Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok for 11 to 19 April go first, so book them by January. Flights into Bangkok and Phuket for 10 to 13 April go next.

Yachts for a day off the street come after that, so book by February, then the cars and drivers for the week, because the roads are packed.

Get the villa on hold now; in April it's the one thing you can't find. Ask Tanner to hold yours.

Where are the best water fights?

The best Songkran water fights are on Silom Road and Khao San Road in Bangkok, Beach Road in Pattaya, the moat in Chiang Mai, and Patong in Phuket.

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Silom Road, Bangkok: the biggest street water fight in the city.

Khao San Road, Bangkok: the wildest and most packed; in 2026, water play there ran from noon to 10pm.

RCA, Bangkok: street parties with a younger Thai crowd.

Beach Road, Pattaya: one long water fight with the sea behind it, and it runs longer than anywhere else.

Chiang Mai: the most traditional Songkran, around the old city moat.

Patong, Phuket: the water fight on the beach road and Bangla Road; in 2026, TAT News listed Phuket's water festival at Mai Khao and Patong Beach.

Tanner's tip: stay a short walk from your street, because taxis barely move on Songkran afternoons. For Silom, take the BTS to Sala Daeng or the MRT to Silom rather than a car. Ask Tanner which street suits your group.

Songkran in Pattaya runs longest

Songkran in Pattaya lasts longer than anywhere else: the main days are 13 to 15 April, and Pattaya's own Wan Lai festival, the 'flowing day', follows a few days later.

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The Songkran 2027 Pattaya dates aren't out yet. In 2026, TAT News listed the Pattaya Songkran Summer Festival on Central Pattaya Beach from 17 to 19 April, and Chon Buri's Wan Lai events from 5 to 20 April.

So a group can do Bangkok for the main days, then drive about two hours to Pattaya for a second round.

A party van for up to 10 runs from Bangkok to Pattaya for ฿3,500 each way.

See Bangkok to Pattaya, and ask Tanner to book the van for round two.

Can you drink alcohol at Songkran?

Yes, mostly. Songkran isn't a dry holiday, so bars and clubs stay open, but drinking in a zone the local rules ban can be fined.

On Khao San Road in 2026, water play ran from noon to 10pm on 13 to 15 April, high-pressure water guns and powder were banned, and revealing clothing could be fined.

Clubs set their own hours, and on Songkran nights many in Silom, RCA and Ratchada are usually open until late. Hours can change on the night, so Tanner calls the club before you go.

That's why the villa matters: your own pool, your own bar and your own music, with no 10pm stop.

Ask Tanner for a villa with its own bar.

Your own Songkran villa party

A Songkran villa party is your own pool villa with a DJ, a bar and water guns for everyone.

Pattaya pool villas start from ฿12,500 a day, and villas elsewhere from ฿18,500 a day. Add a DJ by the pool from ฿8,000 a day and an open bar from ฿1,500 each.

A chef cooks a Thai feast, and hosts and performers for your party keep the pool party going.

For the water, your own Pattaya boat for up to 16 starts from ฿49,000 for 8 hours, with the party added on. The sailing catamaran for up to 20 is quoted to your plan.

The car takes the group to Silom, Beach Road or Patong for a couple of hours, then back to dry off.

A party week for 12 starts from about ฿300,000, with the villa, the parties and the cars.

See Pattaya pool villas, then plan it with Tanner.

Why do people throw water?

Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year, and water washes away the bad luck of the old year so the new one starts fresh.

The word Songkran comes from the Sanskrit for the sun's passage: UNESCO describes it as the sun moving into Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, which marked the old start of the year.

UNESCO inscribed Songkran on its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2023 (checked November 2026).

Songkran runs three days: 13 April is Maha Songkran, 14 April is Wan Nao, the day between the years, and 15 April is Wan Thaloeng Sok, New Year's Day.

At temples, people pour scented water gently over Buddha statues, a rite called song nam phra.

At home, young people pour water over the hands of their elders and ask for their blessing, the rite called rot nam dam hua; TAT News lists merit-making, the water for elders and temple visits as the heart of the day.

Families travel home, clean the house, share a big meal and take food to the monks at dawn. At some temples, people carry in sand to build small sand chedis with flags.

The street water fights grew from these gentle blessings.

If a family invites you to join the blessing, say yes: it's the best part of Songkran. Ask Tanner where to see the temple side.

Songkran manners

Songkran manners are simple: don't splash monks, the elderly, babies or anyone on a motorbike. Don't use ice water or aim at faces, and never drink and drive.

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Keep your phone in a waterproof pouch and your passport in the villa safe. At temples, cover your shoulders and knees, and keep the water fight outside.

Never ride a motorbike after drinking; let the driver drive. April is the hottest month, so drink water, wear sunscreen and take breaks. Ask Tanner to keep the car close, with cold water between rounds.

Last year's dates, as a guide

The Songkran 2027 programme comes out early in the year. Until then, here's how the big events ran in 2026, as TAT News listed them (checked October 2026).

First Songkran? Do Silom for the main days, then Pattaya for round two. That's Tanner's pick.

Ask Tanner to fit both into one week.

Songkran 2027 in short

• What it is: Songkran, the Thai New Year, runs from Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April 2027, and all three days are public holidays.

• The biggest water fights are on Silom Road and Khao San Road in Bangkok.
• Pattaya runs longest: its 2026 beach festival was 17 to 19 April.
• Chiang Mai's 2026 water festival was at Wat Chedi Luang, 11 to 13 April.
• On Khao San Road in 2026, water play ran from noon to 10pm.
• Pool villas for Songkran week sell out first, so book by January.

Checked November 2026.

Plan it with Tanner, and the villa is yours for Songkran week.