words yvonne teh

The Thai New Year brings reflections on water, food and festivities

Apart from both being Asian peoples, the Thais and the Chinese have many things in common. One of them is that – unlike, say, the Japanese and Westerners – they celebrate New Year on a day other than the first day of January. But while Chinese New Year fell on February 7 of the Western calendar this year, the traditional Thai New Year (aka Songkran – a term from Sanskrit meaning ‘a move or change’) celebrations annually commence on April 13 and, depending on which part of the country you are in, lasts between three and 10 days.

Officially, April 13 (Maha Songkran Day) marks the end of the old year and April 15 (Wan Thaloeng Sok) the start of the new. The day in between, April 14 (Wan Nao or Wan Chai), is officially known as “the day after the end of the old year” and is generally observed as a day of preparation for the New Year. Also, although Songkran refers to the day the sun changes its position in the zodiac – and Maha Songkran to the day it moves into the Aries zodiac – it is celebrated in April rather than March 21, the actual day of the vernal or northern hemisphere spring equinox.
Be that as it may, what tends to concern people more is that this important festival whose dates were originally set by astrological calculation (but are now fixed) falls during the hottest month of the year, when temperatures can rise to over 40 degrees Celsius. Couple that with it coming at the end of the dry season, and Songkran seems like an ideal time for celebrating with water – which means gleefully splashing and throwing it at all and sundry! Indeed, images many people tend to conjure up when asked about Songkran concern water, water and more water. It is the symbol of cleansing and renewal and is an essential part of this joyous festival that, nonetheless, has its serious along with playful aspects.

Religious and filial commitments figure prominently in traditional Songkran celebrations, as well as good food – as is to be expected of a people who like the Chinese, are likely to greet others with, “Have you eaten (rice) yet?” (gin khao reu yung). And for devout Buddhists, the celebration of Songkran really begins not so much with watery fun but with a food offering to the Buddhist monks who daily walk the streets in an early morning alms round or with devotees taking edibles specially prepared for the monks directly to a nearby wat (Thai Buddhist monastery) where they would also deliver prayers of their own.

Apart from visiting some of the many eateries that will remain open during the New Year festivals or picking up snacks from street vendors hawking sticks of shish kebab-like satay, hot and sour tom yam goong, sweet khanom tang (pancakes) and a variety of fresh fruits, people will have prepared sweets and other delicacies in advance to treat guests and create merit for good fortune in the coming year and future lives.

Traditional New Year foods for Thais vary according to what part of the country people hail from. Pak jor, a spicy green soup, and gang hung lay, a northern-style chicken curry, are among the delectables enjoyed during Songkran along with the more solid tua (which has been likened to peanut brittle), poa pee (Thai egg rolls) and kanom tian, a glutinous rice dessert known for its pyramid shape. So too are sangkh ya, a coconut custard, and krayasad, the crunchy sweet mix of rice and other ingredients, including peanuts and palm sugar. Then there’s the pungent chilly paste or dipping dish known as nam prik, which varies from region to region and even between makers, but must be included in pretty much every meal.

Generally speaking, the people of the southern coastal areas tend to take advantage of being near the sea and seafood, Thai Muslims are particularly noted for their curries – as well as being among those who shun pig meat – while the spiciest Thai food is found in the north east (Isan) of the country. Still, regardless of region, certain constants will be found in Thai food for Songkran or, for that matter, any other time of the year.

For one thing, dining is generally communal, with dishes (besides one’s own portion of rice) placed in the middle of the table to be shared. For another, as befits their ancestors having migrated from southern China about 2,000 years ago and Thais traditionally having been agriculturalists, a meal is not usually considered complete unless rice – or, at a pinch, something like rice noodles – is a part of it. Among rice connoisseurs, Thai jasmine rice (khao dok mali) is famed for its aromatic fragrance. But the ingredient that often strikes visitors to Thailand as more unusual is the glutinous, or sticky, rice mainly eaten in the north east but also often found in desserts throughout the rest of the country.

A third Thai culinary constant is that harmony is the guiding principle between both dishes and meals. Increasingly internationally known and popular, Thai cuisine is itself essentially a harmonious blend of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences which has not only incorporated Indian seasonings and the Malays’ love of coconuts (and coconut milk in particular) but, also, the use of Western utensils – albeit in a particular combination of fork and spoon Westerners wouldn’t usually consider!

Still, when people talk of harmony, they usually mean a harmony of tastes. Once more akin to the Chinese, Thais base their recipes on blending five basic flavours: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy hot. Also, for many Thai people, a proper meal should comprise a harmony of textures. Along with a base of the staple steamed rice (which is very good for balancing out the strong, spicy tastes for which Thai food is renowned and soaking up the chilli oils), a meal should ideally include solid, bite-sized chunks of meat, seafood or greens and liquids like an accompanying dip for the fish and vegetables (the latter which is sometimes served raw rather than cooked), a soup and a curry dish or a spiced salad.

Additionally, even though it is less so now than in centuries past, much of Thai cooking reflects the water dependent lifestyle of a people from a land with abundant river systems, a lengthy coastline and a capital city with so many man-made klongs (canals) it has been dubbed the Venice of the East. For much of Thai history, aquatic animals, plants and herbs were major ingredients in the people’s cooking. Thus, in one way or another, be it as the medium from which people got much of their food or as a cleansing and festive element at New Year, water has made an unusual impact on, and has been integral to, the Thai way of life.

In search of a taste of Thai or more in your neighbourhood? Here you go…
Hong Kong Island
Lian
Shop 2004, IFC
Tel: 2521 1117
Opening Hours: 11:30am-10:30pm
Price Guide: A braised ox cheek in red coconut curry with potatoes,
peanuts, purple basil costs $165 – come on, it is in IFC!

Chedi
38 Elgin Street, SoHo
Tel: 2868 4445
Opening Hours: 12nn – 3pm; 6pm-12:30am
Price Guide: A Tom Yam Koong will cost $68 and a curry with
chicken, pork or beef is priced at $118.

Green Thai
Shop 7, 1/F The Sanlitun, 28 Harbour Road, Wanchai
Tel: 2802 0666
Opening Hours: 12nn – 12:30am
Price Guide: A set lunch is $98 up and main course from a la
carte menu can go up to $200 for seafood dish.

Thai Delight
Shop A, 117 Lockhart Road, Wanchai
Tel: 2877 7983
Opening Hours: 11am-3pm; 6pm-12:30am
Price Guide: A set lunch ranges from $58 to $88.

Thai Simple Kitchen
3/F, President Theatre, 517 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay
Tel: 2838 2896
Opening Hours: 11am – 2am
Price Guide: Expect to spend around $100-$150 per person for dinner.

Thai Farmer
98 Lockhart Road, Wanchai
Tel: 2520 6607
Opening Hours: 12nn-2am
Price Guide: Expect to spend around $100 for dinner.

Tuk Tuk Thai
30 Graham Street, Central
Tel: 2542 2760
Opening Hours: 12nn-11pm
Price Guide: A set lunch costs around $50.

Kowloon
A Touch of Spice – Thai & Vietnamese
1/F, 10 Knutsford Terrace, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2312 1118
Opening Hours: 11am – 12mn
Price Guide: A main course ranges from $50 to $180.

King & I – Thai & Vietnamese
apm L4-1 & 2 Level 4, Millennium City 5, 418 Kwun Tong Road,
Kwun Tong Tel: 3580 1660
Opening Hours: 11am – 12mn
Price Guide: A main course ranges from $50 to $180.

Sala Thai Cuisine
Shop 1028A, Elements, 1 Austin Road West
Tel: 2609 1898
Opening Hours: 12nn-3pm; 6pm-10pm
Price Guide: The signature grilled mullet coated with salt
costs $108, and a Thai pork roll salad is priced at $48.

New Territories
Chilli N Spice
Shop 1035-1038, Level 1, Metro City, Phase II, Tseung Kwan O
Tel: 3194 3823
Opening Hours: 11am – 11:30pm
Price Guide: A main course ranges from $45 to $180.

iThai
Shop 122 & 123, 1/F, New Town Plaza Phase I, Shatin
Tel: 2693 3128
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 5pm; 6pm-11:30pm
Price Guide: A main course ranges from $50 to $180.