Skip to main content

Songkran Events in Bangkok - Complete Guide

This is of course subjective, but we think that Bangkok is the best place to celebrate Songkran in Thailand. Although Bangkok get's somewhat less busy than usual during the festival week, the remaining population is more than enough to pull off world class events that fill the city during the festival season.

In this guide we will cover the best events around the city during the Thai New Year festivities. If you are looking for specific type of event, you may start with the following table of contents.

Maha Songkran World Water Festival​

The Maha Songkran World Water Festival at Sanam Luang public square combines traditional Thai and modern activities in a family friendly environment. This multi-day event is a major promotional event organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, showcasing the best of Songkran traditions and activities without overwhelming crowds and soaking wet water fights.

Show numbers include street parades, traditional dance and musical shows, Songkran Lady beauty shows, Muay Thai demonstrations and regional Songkran specialties from the five different regions of Thailand.

Maha Songkran World Water Festival at Sanam Luang

Silom Road Water Festival​

  • Where: Si Lom Road. Easily accessible by MRT from Si Lom and Samyan stations and by BTS from Sala Daeng and Chong Nonsi stations. Map
  • When: 13-15 April 2025
  • What: Massive water fights and festivities
  • Pro tip: After you're done with the water fights and want to cool down and dry your clothes a bit, head to the nearby Lumphini Park which is a water fight free zone with serene environment. Maps

Silom Road is located in the heart of the central business district of Bangkok. It is perhaps the epicenter of the city's grandest water fights during the Songkran Festival. The 4 km (2.5 miles) long street will be closed to traffic during this time and is turned into a wild and wet playground.

Silom Road is easily accessible by both MRT and BTS rail lines, as well as by taxi, tuk tuk or a grab car (ride hailing service). We do not recommend using motorbikes as the water fights can be very intense and people might be splashing water on to motorbikes as well, which can be dangerous.

Silom Road Water Festival has the most diverse crowd of all water festival venues in Thailand. Especially early in the day, from morning until noon it is a family friendly event, with many children and elders participating before the biggest crowds arrives. In the afternoon, from 13 onwards the street will be absolutely packed and it is highly adviced to leave this time to the toughest of water warriors.

This is also the main LGBT district of the city and it's clearly visible in the water fights as well. Many gay bars in the area host events and are well equipped to engage with water combats with the passer bys.

Overall, if you are experiencing Songkran for the first time, we highly recommend to visit in Silom Road, which will give you among the wildest and most epic of the Thai New Year Water Fights! It is also very easily accessible, with walking distance to next water war zones in CentralWorld and Siam Square.

Silom Road Water Festival

Khao San Road Water Festival​

  • Where: Khao San Road. Map
  • When: 13-15 April 2025
  • What: Massive water fights and festivities

Khao San Road is a famous party and tourism district located in the old part of Bangkok, close to the Chao Phraya River and the Grand Palace. Here you will find more tourists than locals and mostly young people in their 20s and 30s. But the water fights are just as intense and fun as they are in other parts of the city!

Khao San Road is not particularly easy to access by public rail lines (MRT or BTS) as it is located in the old part of the city with no major train stations nearby. The best option is perhaps to take a taxi or a grab car (ride hailing service) to get there. However, in terms of road network is is a well connected area, with many roads leading to all directions in the city, which is no always the case in Bangkok - and means that you will not likely be trapped in a center of massive traffic jam with no way out.

Being an area more centered around tourism, we advice that you keep even higher alert for pickpockets and other scams than in other areas. This is because Thai people are extremely friendly people and pickpocketing is not a common crime amongst Thais, but it does happen in the touristy areas often by foreigners.

Khao San Road Water Festival

Siam Square Water Festival​

  • Where: Siam Square Soi 7, behind Siam Square One mall. Next to BTS Siam station. Map
  • When: 13-15 April 2025
  • What: Massive water fights and festivities
  • Beware: Once you are soaking wet, do not take refuge in the surrounding shopping malls! Although this might seem like a good idea at first, the air conditioning, combined with wet clothing will give you a high chance of catching a cold.

Siam Square Water Festival is a massive water fight zone in the middle of the main shopping district of Bangkok. This event attracts especially teenagers and young adults, as it is conveniently located next to a prestigious university, Chulalongkorn University. The crowds will be massive in here too, but due to the conveninet location it is a great place to visit.

Siam area is right next to Chit Lom which is home to Central World, another massive water party zone. You can easily walk between the two areas, but be prepared for a lot of people and water!

Siam Square Water Festival

Note!​

It is somewhat trapped and it is very hard to get a taxi or a grab car in here. BTS is likely to be crowded as well. Usually the best option is to walk a little bit away from the city, use the time for drying your clothes a little bit and get a taxi or a grab car to your accommodation or to the next stop!

Central World Water Festival​

  • Where: CentralWorld. Map
  • When: 11-15 April 2025
  • What: Water fights and food markets

CentralWorld is a massive shopping mall complex in central Bangkok. The mall is not a center of the action, but the streets around it are, especially the Rama I Road and Central World's side of Ratchadamri Road. There are plenty of stalls selling food, drinks and filling to emptying water tanks.

It's especially easy to access by BTS from Chit Lom or Siam stations. Taxis, Tuk Tuk's and Grab cars might need to drop you a bit further away to Ploen Chit Road or Ratchadamri Road. These two roads will not be completely jammed by traffic though.

Rama I Road connect Siam and Chit Lom areas, so you can easily walk between the two water fight zones. Just a little bit further away is Silom Road Water Festival zone (around 2 km or 1.2 miles away), which is a nice short walk away.

S2O Songkran Music Festival​

  • Where: Rajamangala National Stadium. Map
  • When: 12-14 April 2025
  • What: Music Festival
  • Tickets: You can buy tickets from eventpop

S2O Songkran Music Festival is a massive EDM music festival that takes place in the Rajamangala National Stadium, located in the north-east part of the city, around 30 minutes drive from BTS Siam station. It is a great event for people who want to experience electronic music festival in a wet and wild environment.

The festival is a mix of music and water. Massive cannons shoot audience during the drops, and it is definitely a concept you cannot find elsewhere! You will find changing roster of big international DJs over the three days.

Siam Songkran Music Festival: The Dawn​

  • Where: Bravo Bangkok Arena, next to Royal City Avenue (RCA). Map
  • When: 11-14 April 2025
  • What: Music Festival
  • Tickets: You can buy tickets from Ticketmelon

Siam Songkran: The Dawn festival is another massive electronic music festival taking place during Songkran. This four day event draws in big international names to spin records in for the festival crowds in a setting that illustrates the rich cultural heritage of Thailand.

Summerland Songkran Music Festival​

  • Where: Royal City Avenue (RCA). Map
  • When: 12-15 April 2025
  • What: Music Festival
  • Tickets: You can buy tickets from casheers

Summerland Songkran Music Festival hosts some of the biggest Thai bands over this four day event. The festival attracts mostly young Thai crowd, but is great fun for foreigners who are interested to get a taste of local party culture!

GCircuit (LGBT event)​

  • Where: Multiple events hosted around city
  • When: 12-15 April 2025
  • What: Music Festival
  • Tickets: You can buy tickets from event's website

GCircuit is a whole suite of gay events that takes place during the Songkran week in Bangkok.

Another great option for LGBT community is the Silom Road Water Festival that is the main LGBT district in the city!

Void Water Fest by Unseen​

  • Where: RCA Central Park. Map
  • When: 15-16 April 2025
  • What: Music Festival
  • Tickets: You can buy tickets from casheers

Void Water Fest is a new electronic music festival to Bangkok. It runs for two days right after the official Songkran holidays (15-16 April).

With a lineup of big international DJs, it is a great destination for Songkran festival "afterparties".

Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival​

  • Where: Phra Pradaeng District, Samut Prakan Province. Map
  • When: 21-23 April 2025
  • What: Traditional Mon Community's Songkran Festival

Although not strictly in Bangkok, this beautiful celebration that takes place a week after the national Songkran festivities is one of the best ways to experience the cultural diversity of the Kingdom of Thailand.

Phra Pradaeng district is located directly south of Bangkok, and is most well known by the famous "green lung" visible from many of the city's highrises. Phra Pradaeng can be conveniently accessed by grab car or taxi from anywhere in the city center for around 200-300 thai baht.

The Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival, a tradition by Mon people in Samut Prakan, is celebrated annually from April 21-23. Mon are one of many ethnic minority groups in Thailand, and the traditional Songran celebrations include a very interesting mix of traditions often more dominant in present day Myanmar.

This celebration features many of the same elements as Songkran festival elsewhere with water splashing and the Miss Songkran beauty pageant, but also unique cultural performances, including the Tayae Mon performance, floral float parade, and a procession of decorated floats.

Buddhist Ceremonies at Wat Pho & Wat Arun​

  • Where: Wat Pho Temple (Map), Wat Arun Temple (Map)
  • When: 13-15 April 2025
  • What: Traditional Buddhist Ceremonies

You can find traditional buddhist Songkran ceremonies in most temples in Bangkok, but the famous Wat Arun and Wat Pho features perhaps the grandest ones.

Other Songkran Events in Bangkok​

  • Maha Songkran at ICONSIAM: Songkran festivities by iconic luxury shopping mall by the scenic Chao Phraya river (Map). Activities scheduled for 10-16 April 2025.
  • Asiatique Water Festival: Asiatique is a large open air market and food district by the Chao Phraya river. This venue is a great mix of streetfood, cozy riverside bars and restaurants, and shows and entertainment for the whole family in a relaxed environment. Activities are scheduled for 11-15 April 2025.
  • Chang Chui Songkran Fest: Chang Chui is an activity park in the western edge of Bangkok (Map). This event is suitable for whole family and features live music, games, traditional Thai Songkran activities, and many more. Scheduled 12-16 April 2025.