The day of 13 April each year is Songkran Day, the traditional Thai New Year, coinciding with the National Day for Older Persons. During the Songkran Festival, people from rural areas who are working in the city usually return home to visit and pay respect to their elders.

Thai people are enjoying the long Songkran holiday when the traditional Thai New Year is celebrated in all parts of the country, with many joyous activities. Often referred to as the “Water Festival” among foreigners, Songkran is the festival that Thai people of all ages wait for every year, particularly the country folk, who still retain their traditional practices. 

Although this festival of entertaining and socializing covers one week or more in some rural areas, the highlight is between 13 and 15 April.  Many people take the whole week off to celebrate the Kingdom’s traditional New Year. On this occasion, people both young and old usually go to the temple for merit-making, such as alms-giving to monks. They also sprinkle Buddha images with scented water. Young people pour lustral water onto the palms of their elders as a gesture of respect and present them with gifts. In return, the elders give their blessings to them.

It is a time when Thais splash water over friends and other people to give them a New Year blessing. The water-splashing has made the festival famous around the globe. Many foreigners find Songkran a great time to visit Thailand to experience distinctive cultural activities in a delightful atmosphere. The festival was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO on 6 December 2023.

 The Tourism Authority of Thailand officially opened the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2026 at Benchakitti Park, Bangkok, on 11 April 2026. Running until 15 April, the five-day event brings together cultural heritage, live entertainment, and water celebrations at one of Thailand’s largest Songkran gatherings. Songkran Festival 2026 is also being held across all regions of the Kingdom, welcoming visitors from around the world to celebrate the Thai New Year through cultural traditions and community events.

The day of 13 April was picked as Thailand’s National Day for Older Persons to underline the significance of older persons and to show gratitude and respect to them. The Thai government designated the National Day for Older Persons on 14 December 1982, after ageing as a policy issue received international recognition at the first World Assembly on Ageing held in Vienna, Austria, in the same year.

The Government attaches great importance to providing good care for the older population. The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security serves as the core agency in organizing various activities to enhance the potential of senior citizens and provide them with well-being and welfare.