Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts

Saturday, 15 March 2014

Singapore is a Land of Transnational marriage since year 1819 until today and in the future

History of Singapore in Brief

Singapore is very young country officially founded by Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles since year 1819 of the EIC company of Great Britain and had it's independence since 9 august 1965.

Very little has been known of Singapore in the past, anything and everything officially in history about Singapore begins from year 1819 onwards and anything before was full of speculation and much was unknown or uncertain before year 1819

Chronological names of Singapore from 2nd century to 1400s

The chronological order of the old names of Singapore in history from pre colonial to colonial until the Japanese occupation of WW2 are :
  1. Sabana by the Greeks during 2nd century
  2. Pu Luo Chung(蒲羅中), probably a transliteration of the MalayPulau Ujong during 3rd century
  3. Singapura 11th century by what is today India and Indonesia
  4. Long Ya Men (龍牙門or Dragon's Tooth Strait) in 1400s by China
  5. Dan Ma Xi (淡馬錫, from MalayTamasik or Temasek which means Sea Town or Sea Port) in 1400s by Malay Penesula

Chronological names of Singapore from 1600s to 1945

Coming from the 1600s to early 1800s there are many more names coming from China and Malay Straits which are namely
  1. Seng-ka-pho(星嘉坡 or 星加坡)
  2. Seng-chiu (星洲; "Singapore Island")
  3. Seng-kok (星國 "Singapore State").
  4. Sit-la̍t (石叻) derived from the Malay word selat meaning "strait
  5. Sit-la̍t-mn̂g [石叻門] another name forLongyamen
  6. Sit-la̍t-po· (石叻埠)
  7. Si̍t-la̍t-po·(實叻埠
  8. La̍t-po·(叻埠)


Towards 1800s till pre WW2 names had by the western world and other parts of Asia were
  1. Singapore
  2. Nanyang 南洋
During WW2 of the Japanese occupation 1942 -1945 our name was Shōnantō (昭南島)

Other Names of Singapore till present

From year 1945 till 1980s, other contemporary names of different languages were :

  1. (狮城), literally "Lion City => Chinese
  2. Xīngzhōu/Seng-chiu (星洲) and Xīngguó/Seng-kok (星國) => Chinese
  3. Singapura => Malay
  4. Ciṅkappūr (சிங்கப்பூர்) &  Ciṅkappūr Kutiyarasu (சிங்கப்பூர் குடியரசு). => by the tamil Indians
  5. Sernghakborey (សិង្ហបុរី) in Khemer by the Cambodians
  6. Singapour by the French
  7. Cộng hòa , Tân Gia Pha orTân Gia Ba , Tân Gia Ba Cộng hòa quốc Chiêu Nam for Shōnan (昭南) and Hạ Châu by the Vietnamese
  8. Singapa (신가파) & Singgaporeu (싱가포르) by the Koreans

During the 1990s to 21st century of today Singapore is often referred as the Little Red Dot

Transnational Marriage background of Singapore

However, unknow to much people outside of Singapore, We Singaporeans have a very long history of Transnational Marriages or what others call as which is Cross Country Marriages, Cross Border marriages, or international marriages

Transnational marriages has always been in the roots and history of Singaporeans since our beginning of time from year 1819 till of today and even in the future and this is most unlikely to change

Early days of settlement

As Singapore is also a land of immigrants which also happens to be in our roots and history as well since early 1400s till of today , during the early days before the Japanese occupation of WW2 , our early forefather ancestors who had imgrated here had many wives along the way from their own home town country to here locally and when they go on business trips or home town visits they still marry wives along the way to and fro

The Trend of Transnational Marriages

Ever since after the Japanese occupation of WW2 , Singaporeans at the very beginning marry only wives from Malaysia and Indonesia until the 1980s

But as times goes by, the scope had expaned and Singaporean began to marry wives from Thailand and Philippines until early 1990s

And again the scope expanded further into Japan during theJ-pop season whereby Singaporeans flew into Japan to look for Japanese wives to marry back to Singapore until somewhere close to late 1990s the scope opened up further.

This time, Singaporeans began looking into wives from China and India until probably year 2005 and the trend has change again.

Our scope of wife search now expanded into Vietnam and Korea and it became into a very super high unbelieveable demand of wives from Vietnam and Korea by the Singaporeans market which is alot more than what you can imagine of . Absolutely unbelieveable !

Much attention went to Vietnamese because more and more singaporeans are tapping into vietnamese market for business expansion etc.. and found the quality of the woman that is most ideal into what Singaporeans are looking for in a wife that Singaporean girl do not process

As for Korean wives, it has something more or less to do with the recent K-Pop wave just like the previous J-pop wave.

Today as of year 2014 the tides has changed again once more and people have started looking into the Myanmar market to scout and search for wives in myanmar or coming from myanmar as Singaporean contact with myanmar nationals over the recent few years has increased alot and found that ther is lesser language barriers between myanmar people and Singaporean citizens.

Furture Trend in my own personal opinion

In my own personal and individual opinion of how i see things by the looks of what is going on, the next country that will be included into our scope of wife search or wife hunt or wife scout will be among one of the following countries

  1. Mongolia
  2. Cambodia
  3. Bhutan
  4. Russia

out of these 4 i predict to be one of the next hit in personal opinion, i would believe Mongolia and Bhutan has a higher percentage and out these 2 the very likely hit should be Mongolia. Let's see if what i today predict as of year 2014 march will come true in the future about 3 or 5 years later.

Existing List of Countries for wives by Singaporean Men

Of the existing countries i have listed in the scope that Singaporeans go all out to find wives which are
  1. Malaysia
  2. Indonesia
  3. Philippines
  4. Thailand
  5. Japan
  6. China
  7. India
  8. Vietnam
  9. South Korea
  10. Myanmar

The Decline of Countries

There are some recent decline and lost of interest as well as sediments due to much bad experiences Singaporean had with certain foreigners as wife and employment in the work force and political issues

the declining countries will be
  1. China
  2. India
  3. Philippines

and of the 3, China is worst as the highest number of failed marriages and Singaporean man are very badly victimised , conned and cheated until nothing left come from China. The reputation of China national wife is really too bad in the recent few years.

India is also similar but not as bad as China, & as to the Philippines much is due to employment and politicital issues in the recent few years in Singapore

How and Where do Singaporeans Find Wife

the means and methods used to find wife are commonly from dating or matchmaking agencies some of which are even agencies that sell wives to Singaporeans. Such agencies who sell wives, the company is Singapore company but the agent and everything is directly from their own native countries.

Others would fly all the way into that country itself find for about a maximum of 3 months duration by going into the villages or the local agency in the country itself.

Another common method is by word of mouth where people that already know introduces someone to them.

As to methods of looking for foreign wife who is already an immigrants inside of Singapore or going by Internet social media website to search are not common or popular methods so far.

Sad , bad , Fail and unsuccessful cases of victim of marriages

Sad and bad example or failed cased and unsuccessful marriages whereby the foreign girls are victims here in Singapore are really too low and rare more than what you can imagine. But cases of which it is the Singaporean man who are the victim it is really too common. Most of the Singaporean man always gets cheated by the foreign wife they marry whom they love too much and really give their everything to her until he has nothing left for himself.

Despite all these

Even though there is a fear among many Singaporean man that he will become the victim, but still too many Singaporean man still want to marry foreign wife and myself i am among one of them.

Of course saying all this does not means that every Singaporean man marries foreigners here. But however the number of marriages with foreigners especially in the recent few years since 2010 has increase tremendously and it is very shocking in this rise of number that it is becoming more and more common and normal and usual to see a Singaporean married with foreigner these days today in Singapore.

The New Challengers

On top of this, there is also a growing number of foreign girls who come all the way into the heartlands of Singapore just a find a Singaporean husband to marry and these girls comes from Japan, USA, & Britain.

These girls come here from their own country just for the objective and motive and reason of finding themselves a Singaporean husband to marry here and stay here and such is also on the rise as well inside of Singapore too.

Hence it is not in every case that Singaporean man need to go into the heartlands of other countries to find, there are also others who comes into our heartlands to find us as well too.

Why no marry locals

And in the case of Singaporeans marry local girls, to marry a local girl is not always the first choice that the majority of Singaporean man have in mind, often it is the last choice or for some never at all no matter what the worst may result , even if they really cannot find a foreign wife they would still rather never ever marry a Singaporean girl as wife.

The market of Singaporean girl by Singaporean man for marriage is relatively very low in stock and demand and interests as well.
This does not refers to all Singaporean girls but it is on a very and absolutely general basics of how and what kind of woman is a Singaporean woman ?

Again i have to re emphasis it is only a general statement and it does not refers to all.

What kind of Girls are Singaporean Girls

So what is girls of Singapore generally ?

Most of the Singaporean girls can be classified into these 3 types 5C SPG GCP & there are really too many of them inside of Singapore.

5C(s) Girls of Singapore

5C girls so what are the 5C(s) ?
Cash ,credit card or some say country club membership ,career ,condominium , & car
these are the very famous 5C Singapore girl look for in a man these are considered to be the very basic requirements only
refer to this link if you wish to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_C's_of_Singapore



SPG ( Sarong Party Girls) of Singapore
SPG refer to those girls who always go outside have fun and party to look for man and i am talking about rich, influential, powerful and famous foreign man ( Americans, Europeans, Australians, Japanese or Koreans) they look for man to be their mistress , to be their girlfriend and to be their wife

you may refer to this link if you wish to

GCP ( Golden Cheese Pie ) Girls of Singapore
finally Singaporean girls are also very famous for being GCP ( golden cheese pie)
gcp refers to those who see themselves very high class , high status , above others, very expensive girls wear all things branded go to only expensive high class places use all high class and branded things everything must be expensive and have class cheap things don want always ask the guy spend alot of money on her want many expensive gifts from the guy only go with people who can match their status

refer to this link

Check List of Singaporean Girls

Many of the girls in Singapore here look into how many of the below point the man has just only to be worthy of consideration only

  1. Do you have the looks & handsome
  2. Do you have the body , muscular, & big in size
  3. Do have the money, are you poor
  4. Do you hold any high position like a manager or director
  5. Do you own a car
  6. Are still living with parents and Singapore girls always look down on guys who lives with their parents
  7. Is your House those big and expensive type
  8. Do you own any privilege membership cards
  9. Are you smart & have special talents
  10. Do you have anything for them to show off in front of others

To generalise Singaporean Girls but not referring to all
Generally, Singaporean girls are over demanding, high expectations people, very bossy and fussy types, over career minded , over realistic , over proctorial, very money minded and materialistic , too pampered and spoiled, cannot take hardships and want good life, non traditional wife and non family orientated and non husband orientated, just to generalise.

Although this general group of girls in Singapore are in big numbers here in Singapore but again like what i have to say once more it is not all .

Singaporeans as a general Whole

Often, it has been said by the Charity organisations of other countries that Singaporeans as a generally whole man or woman has a heart of a Buddha. How true is this statement i leave it to you

Selling point of a Singaporean Husband

A Singaporean man really gives his everything to his girl and more than what he can give until he really has nothing more to give and anything more will be his life

Singaporean man may not be the best in everything and what they give to their girl is already exceeding their best . They do everything for their girl not with words but with real actions and results.

He can really give his all and everything and anything to the girl until he has nothing left for himself. Even if it means he will go bankrupt, he will be in heavy debts , he will be reduce to a beggar begging on the streets he will also it ! Speaking about to die for the girl , there has been real life cases and example as well in the history of Singapore as well. All that has been mentioned in this paragraph is real things , no jokes, no exaggeration everything all real and true.

What Foreigners who married to Singaporean husband say

it has been frequently told upon to the Singaporeans husband, friends & etc... by these foreigners wives that in their whole life as a female gender, the greatest thing in life is to marry a Singaporean husband and if to say regrets and remorse it will be why not earlier known and marry a Singaporean husband?

From their own mouth , they have expressed that it is only the Singaporean man who really and truly make them felt good to be a woman, proud to be a woman and they only felt they are a woman after marrying Singaporean husband. They had never ever felt as woman before in their whole entire life until they married a Singaporean husband.

They receive more than just the due respect , believe, trust and love and care that a woman can ever ask for from a man as a woman. This is at least one point that man from their own country failed to give them according to what they had expressed.

The Singaporean husband really treated them like a real princess, a queen, and a goddess all 3 in 1. it was the first time in their life they finally know they are a woman , no need to afraid of being woman, no need to don't like being woman , no need to feel bad being a woman , no need anything at all.

In fact they even encourage other fellow Singaporean man who cannot find the right Singaporean girl that don't have to keep themselves to only Singaporean girls , the world outside of Singapore is big and there are alot more better girls outside waiting for us Singaporean man and we Singaporean man truly deserve a better girl for ourselves.

It was in their own opinion that they felt Singaporean girls are unworthy of Singaporean man. This statement is also something that many other Singaporean man felt too about their own Singaporean girls as well.

These foreigner wife also encourage woman from their own native country to come out of the country to marry a Singaporean husband instead of their own local man as they say Singaporean husband are really the best and most ideal husband for a girl

there really isn't anything a girl should ask for if she can marry a Singaporean man cos the Singaporean man is the best !


If You are a Singaporean man

But these are among just some of the reasons why many do not want to marry Singaporean girls including foreigner man as well.

Hence it is just only a small part of the explanations of why Singaporean man want to marry foreign wife so much.

This scenario of Singaporean man marry foreigners as wives is really very unlike to ever change for now and even in the far future and Singapore will still continue to be a land of immigrants and a land of tansnational marriages


so now having reading so much if you are a Singaporean man will you marry a Singaporean girl or a foreigner ? Share your answers and state your reasons

Sunday, 19 May 2013

Oriental Temple Praying Knowledge

I am very sure there are many things you are not aware of when comes to praying to the Gods in the temples. 
For the orientals there are certain things they believe in and it is good for you to know as well.


Praying time

This is a particularly time which you cannot pray & this time is between 12pm to 5pmThe remaining other time are also ok to prayBut the best time to pray in during sunrise and sunset. 

It does not mean to say that there is anything offending or anysort if you pray at the time between 12pm to 5pm 
but however just for your general knowledge, that time is really not meant for praying. 


Meaning to the Number of Joss Sticks

Number of joss stick you use has meaning as well

The different number that you use is to the different level & status of gods & guardians to convey message for you to the direct god you are praying to

If to simplify their godly status , ranks and hierarchy in our human context
when you use the following numbers :

1 is to general workers of the bottom level
3 is to the junior executives to senior executives
5 is to the management level 
9 is to the ceo, md, director etc... the highest at the top 
2 don't anyhow use unless u know how to use. The number 2 is used for summoning

so you are actually seeking the different level of gods and guardians to provide you with assistance and help you convey message to the specific and particular god or buddha in the temple you are praying to. 

Big Joss Sticks

There are also big size joss sticks as well. 

if you are using the big size joss sticks, 3 will be really enough
1 represents 3. so please really do not go and use more than 3. 

if however it is those really super big kind of joss sticks. 
1 is really more than just enough as that 1 already represents 9

it is really very common and usual to see people using number 1 and 3 when praying to gods , buddha, ghosts and ancestors. 

It is seldom to see people using numbers 5 & 9 when praying in temples. but it is common to see people who uses numbers 5 and 9 are people who are entrepreneurs , ceos etc....

however when it comes to praying to ghosts and ancestors , if possible do try to avoid 5 & 9

Usage of 2 Joss sticks

The number 2 wise, is use for summoning 
Black magic, white magic whatsoever,as long as to summon the number 2 is being used. 
To summon spirits from the underworld or call upon spirits from the heavens, the number 2 is being use. 
Unless you really know how to use it, otherwise it is highly advisable and recommendable not to use the number 2. 


Joss Stick Number Applications

This Joss stick number is universal for all Taoism, Buddhism, Shinto & Confucianism religions. 
It applies to Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Japanese, Thais, Laotians, Burmese, & Cambodians

the number they use is all the same but the meaning can be different from the Chinese.      

Monday, 7 November 2011

Water Festvial of Asia

Water Festival

A very Asian Based Festival known as Water Festival which westerners literally translates it. This Festival can be found mainly in south east Asian countries but however it may varies in the individual countries.

Countries that celebrate the water festival are as Follows :
1. Yunnan of China By the Dai Ethnic minority known as Pou Shui Jie
2. Myanmar / Burma known as Thingyan
3. Thailand / Siam known as Songkran
4. Laos known known as Pi-Mai
5. Cambodia known as Bonn Om Touk
6. Singapore : SIWF (Singapore International Water Festival)

The Dates of this water festival in the Year of 2011 for :
China, 14-16 April
Myanmar, 13-17 April
Thailand , 11-18 April
Laos, 13-15 April
Cambodia, 10-12 November
Singapore, 01 July

For this same festival, some of them are similar in certain places but some are very different in other places.

Let's begin with country at a time to see how this water festival varies or how much of a similarity it really is.

China
Let us first begin with, China

Water Festvial China 02

Po Shui Jie (潑水節) litery means water splashing festival is one that is celebrated only by the DAI ethnic minority (傣族) of Yunnan Province. Who are among one of the official and recognized 56 Ethnic groups of China.

Water Festvial China 05

The Festival is itself a 3 day activity and it is in mid April every year. Visiting China , the Yunan Province during mid April can be an ideal choice to experience this festival.

Water Festvial China 03

During this 3 days of festival, Blessings is being received by splashing water at each other. Besides Splashing of water at each other like nobody's business, there are interesting activities that can be taken part such as dragon boat matches , a lot of Singing and Dancing as well. A very merry making festival indeed.

The 3 days of celebrations is very rich and experiencing. It more than just about receiving blessings by splashing water or just mere merry making alone. It is also at the same time about romance as well too !

Eve

Before the festival, pigs and chickens are slaughtered and wines are brewed with foods which had been prepared beforehand. During the three days of the festival, rich and colorful activities are held. Dragon boat racing and other performances such as Peacock dance are held on the first day followed by the characteristic water-splashing event on the second day. The last day is usually for the young people to play games as a way of expressing their love for each other.
Usually held by the banks of the picturesque Lancang River (one of the main rivers of southwest China), girls of Dai ethnic minority dip branches into the river and sprinkle the water onto others as a way to express their best wishes at the beginning. The climax of the water-splashing activity is when the people of the different ethnic groups attending the festival splash water upon each other, using basins and buckets. Although all the people are soaked to the skin, all participants are happy

Day 1
On the first day, near the Lancangjiang River (澜沧江) There would be several Long Dragon Boats beautifully craved and decorated which are very well painted and dragon boat race is being held by the river.

When the race begins, the oars will role. People on the boat will shout out as loud as they can and it sounds loud enough to shake the sky. Near to the banks, supporters will cheer out loudly.

Bowls of rice wine willbe brought to the victor and candy will be cast onto them. The dancing of "Yilahe" happily companion the happiness of the victor together with the sounds of drums.


Day 2
The grandest day will be on the 2nd day. During the morning, all the men and woman, young and old will be carrying with them, buckets and basins to the streets.Many will by the riverside and under the shining sun, they would spray and splash water at each other like nobody's business and like never before at all who are participating in this grand meeting whether or not they know you or not.

Water Festvial China 04

The person who is being sprayed or splashed the most will considered to be luckiest person.

Water Festvial China 01

Children would be having a lot of fun with water. Young girls will be usually thoroughly wet to their toes as it is by nature that guy will want to have girls as wet as possible and i am sure there no need to explain this. It is a very nice day where everyone will be having fun with water. Running around and playing with water.

In the evening,a grand entertainment party will be held whereby there will be people singing , dance, and setting off fireworks as well as guessing lantern riddles continuously till mid-night.

Day 3
On day 3 the programs are even richer. On this day, the most brilliant ones will be putting "Gaosheng", throwing pouch, and dancing peacock dance. So-called putting "Gaosheng" is that a ring of bamboo tubes tied up on the tops of long bamboo poles.
The bamboo tubes filled with gunpowder, which will fly into the sky suddenly with a loud crash. According to the customs, people must place five things symbolizing auspiciousness into the biggest "Gaosheng". The person who picks up these auspicious things will be lucky for the whole year.
In "Throwing Pouch", people divide into left, and right two rows, one side is fellows and the other is a girl. A pouch sewed with colorful cloth and decorated with two ribbons is flying to the fellows. Every time throwing a pouch, they will cheer with love.
Throwing pouch is the expression of paying court to each other for fellows and girls. The girls throw the pouch to the fellow whom she loves. The pouches are flying with the wished for beautiful future and the heart admiring love.

Myanmar/Burma
Next we shall proceed on to Myanmar / Burma

Water Festvial Myanma Burma 01

The eve of Thingyan, the first day of the festival called a-kyo nei, is the start of a variety of religious activities. Buddhists are expected to observe the Eight Precepts more than the basic Five Precepts, including having only one meal before noon. Thingyan is a time when uposatha observance days, similar to the Christian sabbath, are held. Alms and offerings are laid before monks in their monasteries and offerings of a green coconut with its stalk intact encircled by bunches of green bananas (nga pyaw pwè oun pwè) and sprigs of Tha byay or jambul (Syzygium cumini) before the Buddha images over which scented water is poured in a ceremonial washing from the head down. In ancient times Burmese kings had a hairwashing ceremony with clear pristine water from Gaungsay Kyun (lit. Headwash Island), a small rocky outcrop of an island in the Gulf of Martaban near Mawlamyaing

By nightfall, the real fun begins with music, song and dance, merrymaking and general gaiety in anticipation of the water festival. In every neighborhood pavilions or stages, with festive names and made from bamboo, wood and beautifully decorated papier mache, have sprung up overnight.

Water Festvial Myanma Burma 04

Local belles have been rehearsing for weeks and even years, in the run-up to the great event in song and dance in chorus lines, each band of girls uniformly dressed in colourful tops and skirts and garlanded in flowers and tinsel. They wear fragrant thanaka - a paste of the ground bark of Murraya paniculata which acts as both sunblock and astringent - on their faces, and sweet-scented yellow padauk blossoms in their hair. The padauk (Pterocarpus macrocarpus) blooms but one day each year during Thingyan and is popularly known as the "Thingyan flower".

Large crowds of revelers, on foot, bicycles and motorbikes, and in open top jeeps and trucks, will do the rounds of all the mandats, some making their own music and most of the womenfolk wearing thanaka and padauk. Floats, gaily decorated and lit up, also with festive names and carrying an orchestra as well as dozens of amorous young men on each of them, will roam the streets stopping at every mandat exchanging songs specially written for the festival including the Thingyan classics that everyone knows, and performing than gyat

It is indeed a time for letting go, a major safety valve for stress and simmering discontent. Generally however friendliness and goodwill prevail along with some boisterous jollity.

The next day called a-kya nei is when Thingyan truly arrives as Thagya Min makes his descent from his celestial abode to earth. At a given signal, a cannon (Thingyan a-hmyauk) is fired and people come out with pots of water and sprigs of tha byay, then pour the water onto the ground with a prayer. A prophesy for the new year (Thingyan sa) will have been announced by the brahmins (ponna) and this is based on what animal Thagya Min will be riding on his way down and what he might carry in his hand.Children vill be told that if they have been good Thagya Min will take their names down in a golden book but if they have been naughty their names will go into a dog book!

Water Festvial Myanma Burma 02

Serious water throwing does not begin until a-kya nei in most of the country although there are exceptions to the rule. Traditionally, Thingyan involved the sprinkling of scented water in a silver bowl using sprigs of tha byay (Jambul), a practice that continues to be prevalent in rural areas. The sprinkling of water was intended to metaphorically "wash away" one's sins of the previous year. In major cities such as Yangon, garden hoses, huge syringes made of bamboo, brass or plastic, water pistols and other devices from which water can be squirted are used in addition to the gentler bowls and cups, but water balloons and even fire hoses have been employed! It is the hottest time of the year and a good dousing is welcomed by most.

Water Festvial Myanma Burma 03

Everyone is fair game except monks and obviously pregnant women. Some overenthusiastic young lads may get captured by women, who often are their main target, and become kids of a practical joke with soot from cooking pots smeared on their faces. Maidens from mandats with dozens of garden hoses exchange hundreds of gallons of water with throngs of revelers and one float after another. Many revellers carry towels to block the jet of water getting into the ear and for modesty's sake as they get thoroughly soaked and drenched in their light summer clothes. The odd prankster might use ice water and a drive-by splash with this would provoke shrieks of surprise followed by laughs from its victims. Pwè (performances) by puppeteers, orchestras, dance troupes, comedians, film stars and singers including modern pop groups are commonplace during this festival.

Water Festvial Myanma Burma 05

The third day is called a-kyat nei and there may be two of them , an extra day in certain years. The fourth is known as a-tet nei when Thagya Min returns to the heavens, the last day of the water festival. Some would throw water at people late into the day making an excuse such as "Thagya Min left his pipe and has come back for it"! Over the long festive holiday, a time-honored tradition is mont lone yeibaw, glutinous rice balls with jaggery (palm sugar) inside thrown into boiling water in a huge wok and served as soon as they resurface which gave it the name.

All the young men and women help in making it and all are welcome, but watch out for some prankster putting a birdseye chilli inside instead of jaggery for a laugh! Mont let saung is another refreshing Thingyan snack, bits of sticky rice with toasted sesame in jaggery syrup and coconut milk. They are both served with grated coconut. In major cities such as Yangon and Mandalay, Rakhine Thingyan can also be experienced as Rakhine residents of the city celebrate in their own tradition. Water is scooped from a long boat (laung hlei) to throw at revelers and Rakhine mohinga is served.

The next day is New Year's Day ("hnit hsan ta yet nei"). It is a time for people to visit the elders and pay obeisance by gadaw (also called shihko) with a traditional offering of water in a terracotta pot and shampoo. Young people perform hairwashing for the elderly often in the traditional manner with shampoo beans (Acacia rugata) and bark. Many make new year resolutions, generally in the mending of ways and doing meritorious deeds for their karma.

Releasing fish (nga hlut pwè) is another time-honored tradition on this day; fish are rescued from lakes and rivers drying up under the hot sun, then kept in huge glazed earthen pots and jars before releasing into larger lakes and rivers with a prayer and a wish saying "I release you once, you release me ten times".Thingyan (a-hka dwin) is also a favourite time for shinbyu, novitiation ceremonies for boys in the tradition of Theravada Buddhism when they will join the monks (Sangha) and spend a short time, perhaps longer, in a monastery immersed in the teachings of the Buddha, the Dharma. It is akin to rites of passage or coming of age ceremonies in other religions.
On the new year's day, people make food donations (called "studitha") at various places. They typically provide free food to those participating in the new year's celebrations

Thailand
Next comes to Thailand

Water Festvial Thailand 03

Typically, the water festival is known as Songkran in Thailand. People will roam the streets with containers of water or water guns or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. However, the main activity is more than just this. It is also about visiting and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends, neighbors, and monks.

Water Festvial Thailand 02

Besides the throwing of water, people celebrating Songkran also go to a wat (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They cleanse Buddha images from household shrines by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance ( น้ำอบไทย) over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year.

New Year resolutions are also being made on refraining from bad behavior, or to do good things. Songkran is a time for cleaning and renewal. Besides washing household Buddha images, many Thais also take this opportunity to give their home a thorough cleaning

The throwing of water originated as a way to pay respect to people, by capturing the water after it had been poured over the Buddhas for cleansing and then using this "blessed" water to give good fortune to elders and family by gently pouring it on the shoulder.

The water is meant as a symbol of washing all of the bad away and is sometimes filled with fragrant herbs when celebrated in the traditional manner.

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Songkran is also celebrated in many places with a pageant in which young women demonstrate their beauty and unique talents, as judged by the audience. The level of financial support usually determines the winner, since, to show your support you must purchase necklaces which you place on your chosen girl.

Laos
In Laos

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Lao New Year is the most widely celebrated festival in Laos. The festival is also celebrated by Laotians in the USA, Canada, France, and Australia. Lao New Year takes place in April, the hottest time of the year in Laos, which is also the start of the monsoon season. Lao New Year takes place at roughly the same time as Songkran in Thailand and Chaul Chnam Thmey in Cambodia.

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The official festival lasts for three days from April 13th to April 15th (although celebrations can last more than a week in towns like Luang Prabang). The first day is the last day of the old year. Houses and villages are properly cleaned on the first day. Perfume, water and flowers are also prepared for the Lao New Year. The second day of the festival is the "day of no day", a day that falls in neither the old year or the new year. The last day of the festival marks the start of the new year

Water
Pi Mai celebration, flour throwing
Water is used for washing homes, Buddha images, monks, and soaking friends and passers-by. Students first respectfully pour water on their elders, then monks for blessings of long life and peace, and last of all they throw water at each other. The water is perfumed with flowers or natural perfumes. Some people prefer flowers in the water to give a pleasant smell, as well as adding cologne/perfume. . Over the years another tradition has developed with Lao New Year: people will smear or throw cream (shaving cream or whipped cream) or white powder on each other during the celebrations.

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Sand
Sand is brought to the temple grounds and is made into stupas or mounds, then decorated before being given to the monks as a way of making merit. There are two ways to make the sand stupas. One way is to go to the beach, and the other way is to bring sand to the wat, or pagoda. Sand stupas are decorated with flags, flowers, white lines, and splashed with perfumed water. Sand stupas symbolize the mountain, Phoukao Kailat, where King Kabinlaphom's head was kept by his seven daughters.

Animals
Another way to make merit at this time is to set animals free. The Lao believe that even animals need to be free. The most commonly freed animals are tortoises, fish, crabs, birds, eels, and other small animals.

Flowers
Flowers are gathered to decorate Buddha images. In the afternoons people collect fresh flowers. Senior monks take the younger monks to a garden filled with flowers, where they pick flowers and bring back to the wat to wash. People who didn't participate in the flower picking bring baskets to wash the flowers so the flowers can shine with the Buddha statues.

Beauty pageant
There is an annual beauty pageant in Luang Prabang to crown Miss Bpee Mai Lao (Miss Lao New Year). There are many beauty pageants in Laos, but Luang Prabang - the old capital - is widely known for its Nangsoukhane pageant. There are seven contestants, each one symbolizing one of King Kabinlaphom's seven daughters.

Music and dance
During Lao New Year, there are many spectacles including traditional Lao music, mor-lam, and lam-wong (circle dancing). During the daytime almost everybody is at the temple worshipping, hoping to have a healthier and happier life in the new year. During the evening, people of all ages go to the wat for entertainment.

Cambodia
In Cambodia

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The Cambodia Water Festival or ‘Bon Om Tuk’ in Khmer is the largest festival in the Cambodian calendar and an amazing sight to behold! The 3-day Water Festival in Phnom Penh is of great significance as it celebrates the end of the rainy season, the start of the fishing season, and also the unique natural phenomenon - the flow of the Tonle Sap river changing direction! And not only this, the Cambodia Water Festival also coincides with the full moon of the Buddhist calendar month of Kadeuk, this full moon is traditionally a good omen promising a bountiful harvest.

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This festival is a national event, as many villagers throughout the country have spent almost a full year preparing their villages boat – elaborately and brightly decorated dug out canoes with large eyes on the prows to ward off evil spirits. Thousand of Khmers descend on Phnom Penh over the three days to watch the races and cheer on their villages boat, which can be up to 20 meters long and contain up to 60 oarsmen, frantically paddling and chanting as the do battle in highly competitive races.

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The origins of the Water Festival dates back to the powerful navy of King Jayavarman II, the 9th century founder of the great Angkorian Empire, and the main purpose is to make the god of the river happy so he will provide many fish and the rice crop will be plentiful.

During this time Phnom Penh takes on a carnival atmosphere, and as well as the river banks being lined with exuberant spectators there are also live concerts, hundreds of food stands, games of chance, fair rides, and at night fireworks light up the sky and people dance in the street.

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On this day, the boats race in pairs along a kilometer-long course, and then in the evening brightly decorated floats cruise along the river prior to and during the nightly fireworks displays.

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There is often a parallel festival at Angkor Wat and although it is smaller in scale it is just as impressive due to the backdrop of Angkor Wat.

The festival marks the changing of the flow of the Tonle Sap River and is also seen as thanksgiving to the Mekong River for providing the country with fertile land and abundant fish.  It is at this time when the river flow reverts to its normal down-stream direction.  In a remarkable phenomenon, the Tonle Sap River earlier reverses its course as the rainy season progresses, with the river flowing "upstream" to Tonle Sap Lake. Then as the rainy season tapers off, the river changes direction once again as the swollen Tonle Sap Lake begins to empty back into the Mekong River, leaving behind vast quantities of fish.

Singapore
Water festival Singapore



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With the objective of bringing the young people together, Singapore in the very recent years came up with their very own water festival uniquely, Singapore !

This Water Festival is known be as the : Singapore International Water Festival (SIWF) acting as a platform to bring the young together and to celebrate her achievements in the world of water since the year of 2009.

At the same time through this festival, people in Singapore are being educated and reminded continuously about management of water resources in schools, institutions , industrial , commercial and water problems are being address to as well in the constant amidst changing environment that Singapore has.

Much water related activities and games will be held this day and the venue will like places such as the Kallang River, Marina Bay sands, Marina Barrage Clarke Quay etc..

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You may like to read up more in the links provided below

As Singapore is itself a land of immigrants and has a long history of migrants, Foreigners do celebrate their own water festival in Singapore and the locals do join in the fun with these migrants.
Click on the links below to learn more.

Foreigners celebrating water festival in Singapore