It's Songkran, the Thai New Year, and this the Buddha statue in our lobby over which one pours scented water. A new ritual for me this year was a member of our staff placing a pulang malai (garland) in my hands and pouring water over them, expressing greetings and blessings for the new year.
This year is an unusually long holiday, beginning yesterday and announced only the previous evening, to try and alleviate the ongoing political demonstrations that have been plaguing the capital, and which caused unusually greater traffic chaos to a city quite used to such things. The demonstrations appear to have moved to the coastal city of Pattaya, where the ASEAN summit is taking place, and which was disrupted this morning.
More than ever, I'm hoping for peace this year.
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