For the “Wan Lai” or “Flowing Day” on Wednesday, revelers in the beach city gathered guns, hoses, and other water weapons.
The three-day Songkran afterparty in Pattaya began on Tuesday at Wat Chai Mongkol and the beach and continues today (Thursday).The fun began on Wednesday at 11am when masses arrived with water cannons and barrel-equipped pickups to cool down in the searing summer heat.
Sukhumvit, North Pattaya, Central Pattaya, South Pattaya, and Jomtien Beach roads were congested with revelers.
Live music is being played on stages set up along the seashore, which adds to the festive atmosphere. Street sellers have put up kiosks where they are selling a variety of water weapons, food, and drinks.
According to Pattaya officials, more than 800 police, troops, municipal officers, and medical personnel were deployed on Wednesday to ensure safety.
Following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, more than 100,000 people are anticipated to participate in the first Wan Lai festival in four years.The eastern seaboard provinces of Chonburi, Rayong, and Samut Prakan host the majority of Wan Lai festivals. The celebrations emphasize more subdued Songkran customs, such as paying alms to monks, creating sand sculptures at temples or on the beach, and playing traditional games, in addition to splashing contests.
The original practice of Wan Lai involves building sand mounds and hauling them into temples. The mounds represent the sand or soil that worshipers unintentionally kick off the temple grounds with their feet throughout the course of the year.As residents of seaside areas used sand from beaches and rivers, this event was originally known as “Ko Phra Sai Nam Lai” or “making sculptures with water-swept sand”. This provided them with an excuse to clean up the clogged rivers.
