MBA Newsletter - April 10, 2007

Content
1. Ann’s Ramblings
2. Blog Post
3. Feature Article

*************************************************

Ann’s Ramblings

Greeting!

How was your week going so far? Mine is too fast. Funny, do not know why I got horrible headache since this morning, maybe the weather, anyway…

After thought, I decided to dedicate my ramblings to culture area in this week’s newsletter.

Thai New Year Songkran Festival is on the way. If you are a Thai, I wish you a very happy new year in advance

April 13 is the traditional Thai New Year’s Day, which is celebrated by the Thai people throughout the country from the old to the young and from the royalty to the ordinary people.

It is celebrated for three days from 13 -15 April. Before the celebrations, people will clean their houses in the hope of casting away any bad luck of the old year, so that good fortune will slip into their new lives instead. Food and sweets will be prepared in advance for merit making and for treating guests. In a way, kinds similar like Chinese people do things before Chinese New Year.

Many candles will be lit and piles of wood will be burned in front of the houses on the New Year’s Eve to shine the way for the spirits, which old people believe will come out of their places on that night.

The Songkran celebrations will begin with food presentation to the monks who will walk along the streets in the early morning to receive food and other offerings. But you will see some people take food to the monasteries nearby for the monks.

After the food giving, the merit will be transferred to the ancestors by pouring water onto the ground or a tree. In big cities like Bangkok or Chiang Mai, the most revered Buddha image will be carried in a procession along the streets to an open space for people to sprinkle water on to show their veneration.

One of the activities for young people to do is to convey their best wishes to their elders by pouring water on them or their palms. After this, it is time for children and young people to have full enjoyment with water-throwing, dancing and folk games

So Thai New Year Songkran Festival also called Water Festival. You will see water everywhere.

I know many people are planning to travel to other province and celebrate the events in this long holiday. If you do, please drive safely and take care of your health, bring and prepare some dry clothes with you that you can change, otherwise you could easily get cold after those ice water experience.

If you are a foreigner, staying in Bangkok not fun in the Thai New Year, you have to get out of town to see the difference. But if you really want to stay in town (no traffic) and enjoy the water-throwing, Khaosan road is a good place to go to. You will have a lot of fun there. .

Happy Songkran!

But I need to go to take medicines, the headache get worse …

Cheers