Hat Yai: Equally lively, Hat Yai Midnight Songkran in Songkhla Province saw a unique celebration with water splashing at midnight, the only event of its kind in Thailand, drawing a crowd of tourists on Senahanusorn Road to play Songkran until morning.
According to Thai News Agency, the festivities kicked off with an opening ceremony for Hat Yai Midnight Songkran, presided over by Mr. Chotinnarin Kerdsom, the governor of Songkhla Province. Following the ceremony, a large number of Thai and foreign tourists, particularly from neighboring Malaysia, participated in the celebrations. The water festival in Hat Yai District was marked by vibrant foam parties and performances from famous DJs, pleasing the attendees and encouraging them to continue splashing water into the early hours.
In the morning, Hat Yai Municipality organized an alms-giving ceremony, which included the bathing of the Phra Buddha Sihing and Luang Pu Thuat, revered as the city's guardian deities. The ceremony also featured the traditional pouring of water over the heads of the elderly, a gesture believed to bring good fortune for the Thai New Year.
