Happy Songkran 2013!

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Songkran is the annual celebration of New Year in Thailand. Meaning 'astrological passage'. It is the time of the year when traditions reign supreme in Thailand, with many Thai people taking part in the festivities. Celebrated from the 13th to the 16th of April annually, celebrations include travelling back to their home towns to celebrate with elders and the more hands on activity of taking part in the water fights around the streets Thailand! The most famous area of Thailand to celebrate the new year is the largest  and most cultural Northern City, Chiang Mai. Hosting many festivals throughout the calender year, Chiang Mai is renowned for being one of the most popular locations of celebration in the country. Lasting up to 6 days in Chiang Mai, it's no wonder that natives and tourists alike travel to the region to take part in the massive water fight that takes place. The traditional greeting is "สวัสดีปีใหม่" (sawatdi pi mai) which basically translates to "Happy New Year" but you will also find people use "สุขสันต์วันสงกรานต์" (suk san wan songkran) which means "Happy Songkran Day"  because 'pi mai' is more often linked with the 1st of January rather than the Thai New Year itself!


Another factor which rates highly in any culture's New Year celebrations across the globe is FOOD. As you know, on the Gandey World Class Productions blog we love to talk about food, so looking at recipes which are made during Songkran has our mouths watering! The BBC website is a treasure trove for Thai recipes to whip up at home right now, so check it out and give some a go.... We highly recommend the 'Slow Cooker Massaman Curry'. Massaman is a delicious peanut and potato based dish, which is hearty and moreish, and is an excellent alternative to a stew in the UK right now during this shockingly cold spell of weather we are having. And to make it feel that little bit more tropical you can wash it down with a 'Thai Smash' cocktail, ooossh! We don't think there'll be any water fights here in the UK for the Ladyboys of Bangkok though, the last thing we want is for one of our stars to catch a cold when they have so many shows planned for the Glamorous Amorous tour!

Location: Thailand

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