Songkran Festival 2019 organized by Santinivas Temple

On 27 April 2019, H.E. Mr. Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum, Ambassador of Thailand to Sweden and his wife, together with Defence Attache and his wife, Director of Board of Investment Office (Stockholm Office), and officials from of the Royal Thai Embassy attended the Songkran Festival, organized by Santinivas Temple, which is located in Haninge, southern part of Stockholm.

In his opening remarks, H.E. the Ambassador explained that Songkran does not only has its importance as Thai New Year’s Day but also a blissful occasion for family’s celebrations and gatherings to foster closer relations among family members, relatives, and friends.

During the festival, there was making-merit ceremony to the monks ordained at the temple, a variety of booths selling Thai foods, snacks, desserts, and a Thai massage parlor. Part of the selling income from those booths was contributed to the temple for charity or good deeds. On the stage, there were also several cultural performances by Thai communities’ members and Little Miss Songkran competition. A ceremony to pour water over the hands of the revered elders for blessing was also carried out. The wife of Laos’ Ambassador to Sweden also cordially joined this water pouring ceremony. Furthermore, participants at the festival also had a chance to win lucky draws with the biggest prize being Stockholm-Bangkok roundtrip air tickets. The festival saw attendance figures of around 2,000 people this year.