Suphan Buri: The villagers of Bo Kru in Suphan Buri Province, with roots tracing back to the Lao Krang ancestry, organized the 2025 'Songkran Flag Raising' event at Wat Bo Kru, Bo Kru Subdistrict, Doembang Nangbuat District. This event, now over a century old, was presided over by Mr. Piriya Chantadilok, Governor of Suphan Buri Province, and saw a large turnout of attendees. The tradition, originally brought to Thailand by the Lao Krang people who migrated from Laos, marks the end of the Songkran Day in the village, after which the villagers return to their farming activities.
According to Thai News Agency, the Songkran flag raising tradition at Wat Bo Kru is a full-day event that begins early in the morning and continues until nightfall. Villagers from different villages participate by bringing flags and bamboo flagpoles, which are central to the event's competitions. These competitions evaluate the length and size of the flagpoles, with each village keeping their flagpole's dimensions a secret until the event. Additionally, there are contests for the beauty of the flags and the unity among community members, judged by the number of participants each village can gather for the parade.
The event features wind instruments and circle dancing, with women donning red-bordered sarongs that they have woven themselves, highlighting local handicrafts. Upon the procession's arrival at the temple, various games organized by each village take place. The flag is then paraded around the temple three times before being planted in a specially prepared hole, often accompanied by playful pranks to delay the planting. Once planted, villagers perform a dance around the flagpole three times as a form of homage.
The tradition of flag raising in Bo Kru not only preserves ancestral cultural practices but also exemplifies the unity between the Thai and Lao Krang communities.