Songkran in Chiang Mai has begun, with tourists enthusiastically splashing water around the moat

This afternoon (April 12, 2026), the Songkran festival atmosphere in Chiang Mai began to liven up, with Thai and foreign tourists and locals coming out to splash water around the moat and along Tha Pae Road.

Even though today is the first day, tourists and locals alike have come out to splash water to cool off. Some tourists even drove pickup trucks loaded with water tanks, bringing their children and grandchildren to play water fights. However, there are fewer pickup trucks carrying water this year compared to other years due to the high price of fuel. Most participants are using motorcycles, causing traffic congestion on Tha Pae Road.

Meanwhile, vendors have set up stalls on both sides of the moat, selling water play equipment, ice, and food. It is expected that a large number of tourists and locals will come to play in the water at the 130-meter-long water tunnel this evening, amidst a concert stage featuring famous singers performing music with lights and sound, organized by the Chiang Mai Municipality.