Songkran 2027 in Bangkok: Dates, Water Fight Spots and Parties
Songkran 2027 in Bangkok: Dates, Water Fight Spots and Parties
Thai New Year runs 13 to 15 April 2027. The streets that turn into water fights, the rules most tourists don’t know, how to keep your phone alive, and where the music goes on after dark.
Songkran is Thai New Year, and in Bangkok it turns into the biggest water fight you’ll ever see. Whole roads close, strangers soak each other, and everyone is smiling, mostly.
The official holiday for Songkran 2027 is Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April. In recent years Bangkok has stretched the fun across more days: in 2026 the main zones opened from 11 or 12 April. Here is what to expect for 2027 and how to do it right.
What Songkran actually is
Before the water guns, Songkran was (and still is) about family and respect. People go home to their provinces, visit temples, make merit and gently pour scented water over the hands of elders and over Buddha images to ask for blessings.
The water fight grew out of that. Splashing someone is a way of washing away the old year and wishing them luck. Keep that in mind and you’ll get why some people are very relaxed about being soaked, and some are not.
Best water fight spots in Bangkok
These are the zones from Songkran 2026. The 2027 program usually comes out a few weeks before, so check the BMA and TAT announcements in March.
Silom Road
The classic. In 2026 Silom Road was closed to traffic between Sala Daeng and the Nararam intersection from 12 to 14 April, with water play from 13:00 to 21:00 every day. Easy to reach on BTS Sala Daeng and MRT Si Lom. Expect security gates and bag checks at the entrances.
Khao San Road
The backpacker street goes all in, with DJs and huge crowds. It ran 12 to 14 April in 2026 with tighter security and controlled entry and exit points. Busy, loud, sticky, fun.
Siam Square
A more polite version, with a water tunnel and a T-pop concert stage. It ran 13 to 15 April last year, 11:00 to 22:00.
Banthatthong Road
Water play plus street food around Chula Soi 5. A good pick if you want to eat between battles.
The traditional side
For ceremonies, processions and Buddha image bathing, Sanam Luang and Ratchadamnoen hosted the Maha Songkran World Water Festival in 2026, and ICONSIAM ran a calmer family program with a river procession.
The rules
Bangkok has tightened things up. For 2026, the BMA and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation made the main celebration zones alcohol-free, and water play in the city had to stop by 22:00. Inside the official zones, these were banned:
- Drinking alcohol
- Coloured powder
- High-pressure water guns
- Nudity and very revealing outfits
And the unwritten rules:
- Don’t soak monks, elderly people, babies, or anyone in uniform or obviously on their way to work.
- Don’t throw water at motorbike riders or into moving cars. People get hurt every year.
- No ice water. It hurts, and nobody finds it funny.
- Harassment is not part of the game. Keep your hands to yourself.
- Drink driving checkpoints run around the clock during the holiday. Don’t ride or drive after drinking.
What to wear and bring
- Clothes you don’t mind ruining. Quick-dry shorts or light trousers and a T-shirt. Floral shirts are the unofficial uniform.
- Shoes that grip. Streets get slippery. Closed sandals beat flip flops.
- Waterproof phone pouch. Sold everywhere for cheap. Test it before you go in.
- Cash in a zip bag. Small notes for water refills and food.
- Swim goggles or sunglasses. Water in the eyes all day gets old fast.
- Sunscreen. April is the hottest month of the year in Bangkok.
Songkran music festivals
Songkran is also festival season. S2O Songkran Music Festival, the big water-meets-EDM event, ran 11 to 14 April 2026 at S2O Land on Ratchadaphisek Road. The Siam Songkran Music Festival ran at Bravo BKK near RCA, and CentralWorld hosted concerts too. None of these had announced 2027 dates when we checked, so watch their official pages from early in the year.
For everything else on the year ahead, see our Thailand festival calendar 2026 to 2027.
Bangkok nights after the water fight
Dry off, change, eat, then go out. In 2027 Songkran runs Tuesday to Thursday, so the club weekends are the ones on either side: Fri 9 and Sat 10 April, and Fri 16 and Sat 17 April. Silom is handy because the water zone and the clubs are in the same neighbourhood.
Mustache Bangkok
A house and techno club on Decho Road in Silom with a VOID Acoustics sound system, open Friday and Saturday. Melodic techno, techno, tech house and house, with international guests and local residents.
- Open
- Fri and Sat, 22:00 to 03:30
- Entry
- From 350 THB online, incl. 1 drink before midnight
- Getting there
- BTS Chong Nonsi, 5 min walk
- Door
- 20+, bring ID, no flip flops
Subwerk, upstairs in the same building, is the place for hard techno on Fridays. For Songkran weekend lineups, check what’s on closer to the date, and read our Thailand nightlife rules before you go.
FAQ
When is Songkran 2027?
The official public holiday is Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April 2027. Bangkok’s water zones often open a day or two earlier. Check the 2027 city program in March.
Where is the best place for Songkran in Bangkok?
Silom Road and Khao San Road are the classic water fight streets. Siam Square is calmer. Sanam Luang hosts the traditional side.
Can you drink alcohol at Songkran in Bangkok?
Not in the official zones. In 2026 the main celebration areas in Bangkok were alcohol-free.
Is S2O happening in 2027?
S2O ran 11 to 14 April 2026 in Bangkok. 2027 dates were not announced when we checked. Follow the official S2O channels.
What should I wear for Songkran?
Quick-dry clothes, non-slip sandals, and a waterproof phone pouch. Avoid see-through or revealing outfits, they’re banned in the zones.
Are Bangkok clubs open during Songkran?
Clubs keep their usual nights. In 2027 the holiday is midweek, so go out the Friday and Saturday before or after, and check what’s on.
