Thousands Pack State Capitol Grounds For Thai New Year Celebration

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- The Songkran Festival took over the Minnesota State Capital this weekend.

In Thailand, the Songkran Festival is held in the heat of April during Thai New Year.

"Songkran comes from a Thai word … to mean 'water festival,'" said Theerapattaipom Phuangmala, a monk at Wat Promwachirayan Buddhist Temple. "[It's the] way that we show the gratitude, because Songkran is the meaning of pouring the water to pay respect with your family."

But because of the dodgy weather in April, late May is when the Thai Cultural Council of Minnesota put on the event. Korawan Muangmode serves as council president.

"[It's] Asian American Heritage Month, too, so I think this is a perfect time that we can do this every year," Muangmode said.

New this year is the location. The State Capital in St. Paul took the place of a Buddhist temple in St. Louis Park to accommodate for thousands of attendees. The festival also gave out free COVID-19 vaccines.

"It's been very difficult and very hard for everyone during the COVID and with the riots and everything," Muangmode said. "So this year is the moment where I think that celebrating at the Minnesota State Capital is here to get as many people to do this together."

Minnesota has roughly 6,000 Thai Americans. This weekend's major gathering replicated those in Southeast Asia.

"The most important thing for me is in the street food here, where you can get to see how they cooked it and get to taste the authentic Thai food, and you get to shop.
You don't have to go all the way to Thailand," Muangmode said.

A cultural display that captured the sounds, tastes and even traditional blessings of Thailand.

"I want this year to be expressed as Asian joy, celebration," she said.

The festival capped its slate of performances Sunday night with popular Thai pop group 4Mix, making their American debut.