of water. The religious part consists in bathing Buddha
images in the main temples (many Thais consider it good
luck to do this in nine temples, although some pay children
to do it on their behalf) or when they are taken out for a
tio, receiving blessings from the monks, and releasing fi sh
or birds or other animals into nature (carrying away any
bad luck of the last year). At the height of the hot season,
Songkran certainly helps you cool off. However, the gentle
water-blessings of the past have now given rise to water
battles, often by competing pick-up trucks. Things go on
for much too long in Chiang Mai, where the population
is not only swollen by Chiang Mai people returning from
work elsewhere but by many visitors from Bangkok, who
drink to excess and fi nd it fun to throw icy water full
blast in your face—without taking out the chunks of ice
fi rst. Many foreigners confuse the Thai words Songkran
(with an ‘n’) and Songkram (with an ‘m’), since fi nal
consonants are barely pronounced. An alternative is to
say the easier pi may (new year). For once, their confusion
is understandable. Even the Thais in Chiang Mai are
retreating indoors with colds near the end of festivities.
Sometimes, the Thais admit, you can have too much of a
good thing.