The Songkran Festival in Thailand is not all about water splashing and having fun. Thai people also take time out to visit their local temples to make merit and also to pour rose scented water over the hands of their elders. They do this in order to receive a blessing and good luck for the new year. Some families also go to their local temple to pray and make merit for dead ancestors. The ashes of these ancestors are often contained in miniature "chedis" which are like upturned handbells. This afternoon I went to visit Wat Chaimongkol in Samut Prakan where they were taking part in an activity called "phra chedi sai" or Sand Pagodas in English.