Between Buddhist rituals and water fights: 3 days of vibrant celebrations

From April 14 to 16, the Lao (Boun Pi Mai) and Khmer New Year took place. This celebration, linked to Theravada Buddhism, marks the end of the dry season—a symbolic time of renewal and hope.

The atmosphere is festive: music, dances, games, laughter, and water fights fill the streets, where everyone sprinkles each other symbolically to attract luck and happiness.

In Laos, people go to the temple to pray, make offerings, and pour water over Buddha statues. In Cambodia, people play traditional games, give charity and alms to the poor, and build sand towers to receive blessings.

Everyone has their own way of experiencing this special celebration. In Cambodia, Phary shares the joy of enjoying traditional dishes with his family, and Thaiheng talks about the pleasure of going to the temple to make offerings. Discover also what Boun Pi Mai means for the children in Laos.

In Laos, in the village of Bouamxiang, Luang Prabang, children, elders, and volunteers gathered for the Baci ceremony, where white bracelets were tied on their wrists as a blessing for the year ahead. The children then took part in water fights and traditional games before sharing a friendly lunch together.

In Cambodia, in Borey Niseth, young people went to Wat Phnom to splash water on each other. In Smong, the children made paper flowers to decorate the center. Finally, in Borey Komar, the children played traditional games before reuniting with their families to celebrate the New Year.

These moments allowed the children to reconnect with their culture, share precious time with their loved ones, and create lasting memories. A big thank you to the volunteers for their dedication and support!

Happy New Year! ‘Sabaidee pi mai’ (Lao) or ‘Sursedey chnam thmey’ (Khmer).