A country that lives in the future: an unusual reckoning in Thailand

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

Most tourists visiting Thailand for the first time are surprised: after all, time in this country goes completely differently. For example, we in Russia recently met the year 2019, and the inhabitants of this eastern country are waiting for the onset of 2562. It is easy to calculate that the difference between the dates is as much as 543 years.

Let's try to figure out what the chronology is in Thailand and why it is so different from what we are used to. And is it difficult for an ordinary tourist from a European country to understand the time of the Thais?

Year of Buddha's transition to nirvana

The usual Gregorian calendar counts from the Nativity of Christ. In Thailand, the majority of the inhabitants practice Buddhism. Therefore, their years are counted from another significant event: the date of Buddha's immersion in nirvana. The difference between them is 543 years. Therefore, to determinewhat year is going on in the country now, it will not be difficult. And you have to count: almost all official documents, dates on tickets for local transport and even expiration dates of products are indicated in this country according to the Buddhist calendar.

Several decades ago, government agencies, along with the traditional chronology in Thailand, began to duplicate dates in accordance with the familiar international calendar. However, all internal documents of residents are still regulated by local traditions. For example, in the internal passport of a citizen there will be one date, and in the foreign one there will be two: according to the Gregorian and Thai calendars.

Monks counting time

Until the middle of the last century, more precisely, before 1940, it was much more difficult to calculate an event in local time. The fact is that the dates of Buddhist holidays are tied to the lunar calendar, which is almost a month shorter than the solar calendar we are used to.

Therefore, only competent monks could deal with everything. They had to take into account the different number of days in months, the presence of leap years and many other nuances. There were even special tables, at least slightly facilitating the work of trained monks.

Now the reckoning in Thailand is much simpler. In 1040, the current king Rama VIII reformed the calendar, simplifying it as much as possible. Now, in order to decide on the current date, guests of the country only need to make a simple calculation, and not look for the servants of the temple.

Songkran National Day

If you choose a tour to Thailand in the spring, you can get to the celebration of the national Thai New Year, which falls on April 13th. This event is also tied to a special way of reckoning in a given country. The Thai symbol of the holiday is water. Many residents of the country are preparing in advance by installing containers with liquid and flower petals in their homes.

The main ritual of the Thai New Year is the washing of a Buddha statue: either a huge one near the temple, or a small figure that is in the home of every Buddhist.

And after the official part, the holiday begins. Children and adults take out water pistols, buckets and everything from which you can pour or splash your neighbors. It is believed that water washes away all bad things and makes room for a prosperous future. Therefore, everyone tries to get under the jets as often as possible.

This holiday no longer affects the transition of the year in Thailand. It's just a great excuse to have a good time and have fun.

Two more New Years

In this amazing country, residents love holidays so much that, in addition to the traditional one, they celebrate two more new years: the usual one, coming on January 1, and Chinese, the start date of which wanders between January and February.

Unlike us, Thais consider the International New Year a family holiday. They give gifts to relatives and friends, spend the evening at dinner, and in the morning go to the temple. However, in large cities, where there are always a lot of tourists, this holiday is celebrated on a usual scale,light shows and concerts.

Chinese New Year is bright and colorful. Houses are decorated with traditional red lanterns. People take out their national costumes and take to the streets to celebrate. Activists prepare figures of huge dragons and other creatures from Chinese mythology in advance. Then they wear them down the street, arousing the admiration of passers-by.

Despite the slightly confusing chronology of Thailand, a holiday in this hospitable country will bring a lot of positive emotions.