ภาษาไทยU.S. participation in Songkran Week at the Ambassador’s Residence
During the Thai New Year, Songkran, Week 12-16 April 2021, our “Friends of Thailand” in the U.S. expressed their wishes and joined the celebration throughout. Starting from messages from President Joe Biden and Secretary Anthony Blinken via twitter sending warm wishes to communities that celebrating New Year during this time, including Thailand.
Followed by a series of working lunches hosted by Ambassador Manasvi at the Residence, which were joined by our dear friends from different U.S. sectors, ranging from State Department, to co-founder of agoda.com and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who enjoyed Thai food and took part in a traditional way of celebration —pouring clean scented water over a statue of Buddha to represent purification and good fortune.
Ambassador Manasvi
Ambassador Atul Keshup, PDAS, Department of State
Robert Rosenstein, Co-founder and Chairman of agoda.com
Reed Werner
Susan Parker-Burns, Director, Office of Mainland Southeast Asia, Department of State
Peter Thorin, Senior Advisor, Blue Dot Network, Department of State
Mauri Earl, Tomicah Tillemann, Sarah Tillemann, The Church
Songkran festival in Thailand normally kicks off on 13 April and lasts three days, though festivities can start early or end later in some cities. The day’s main focus is about moving forward—in fact, the word Songkran comes from a phrase in the Sanskrit language that means “passage of the sun.” Other countries in South and Southeast Asia that have similar traditions include Cambodia, China, India, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.