The most well known of all Thai festivals, Songkran is for those who love a good water fight. It's the official Thai New Year in April and lasts around 2 to 3 days. Streets fill with people throwing water and smearing fragrant powder over the faces of revellers. Water is a symbol of cleansing and starting afresh, which is exactly what the Thai people want to do to start the New Year. Songkran is not only about splashing water around, it is also a time to pay homage to Buddha, to offer food to Buddhist monks, to pay respect to elders, and a time to clean out your home of anything old and useless. Buddha images are cleansed with water and fragrances to bring prosperity to the New Year.