Songkran in New Zealand

[MeMock]

Well in the Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand, today was the day to celebrate Songkran.

A good mixture of Thai women and their kiwi men, a few Thai men and quite a few kiwi families made the small trek to the temple at the top of Welcome Bay.

Everyone was welcomed by the Thai ambassador to New Zealand.





Then it was time for some dancing.






This is Orissar dancing a song from the Chiang Mai region.



and some singing




This is 'Why' singing a song from the Issan region.




Then it was time for some thai boxing.



which the crowd got right into.



and a tug-o-war (for some reason I cannot find the photo)

The VIP tent.



Seating for the rest of us.





Of course there was penty of food available with all funds raised going to the temple.





The temple.



Inside the temple.



Waterslide for the kids.



My daughter (on the left) had plenty of people to play with.



The carpark.



Thai DJ





and last by popular request from Dirty Dog.....*drum roll please* ..... The bogs!

[Little Chuchok]

Any little hornbags there memock?

[cimboc]

Looks like a great day. Where's the pic of you going down the water slide or were you busy in a different type of bog

[cimboc]

BTW, a NZ thread without sheep..... I guess there's always a first

[natalie8]

Nice pictorial. Good to see the full festivities in another country. Why were you in NZ? Do you live there now?

[MeMock]

Any little hornbags there memock?

Apart from my wife?

A few

[MeMock]

BTW, a NZ thread without sheep..... I guess there's always a first

Heaps of cattle dotted around the hills but I didn't see any sheep.

Nice pictorial. Good to see the full festivities in another country. Why were you in NZ? Do you live there now?

Thanks Nat.

We made the move to NZ from Aust about 5 months ago now.

[peterpan]

Nice pictorial. Good to see the full festivities in another country. Why were you in NZ? Do you live there now?

He's an enlightened Ozzie.

[Little Chuchok]

^^^right-oh.....pics please.

Were there many old farts with young birds?

[MeMock]

actually I have been really surprised at the lack of that over here. There is always a couple of course but most people I saw were of similar ages with young families etc.

[sharon]

Inside the temple.

I just wonder if they have a bigger buddha in the temple?

[MeMock]

Nope, what you see (or don't see) is what you get.

Behind that ladies head is a small buddha.

[Little Chuchok]

I just wonder if they have a bigger buddha in the temple?

It's a little wee one alright.

Looks like the Temple has been built with macrocarpa.Can't of been cheap.

[MeMock]

I was told the block of land (section if you are a kiwi) cost them $300,000 NZD.

[Little Chuchok]

^Who the fcuk paid for it??????

[MeMock]

Dunno, the place has two Thai monks living there as well.

[Little Chuchok]

^That means that it was paid for by "koha"....Donations/gifts from Thai people...who are married to Kiwis......so "we" really own the place.

[Northern Scum]

Didn't put a lot of effort into that temple, did they? It's more like a big shed.

Great pics MM.

[MeMock]

I agree Shitman.

As I drove around the corner to the place I half expected some big glittering building of some sort. They must have spent all their money on the block.

My garage is just as good

[kingwilly]

My garage is just as good

[kingwilly]

Why was it a different day in NZ?

[MeMock]

I am assuming because the Thai ambassador was in attendance.

He said in his speech that he was going to be at the Auckland celebrations this weekend so to get him to attend they had it last weekend.

[Wayne Kerr]

Jeez and here I was thinking you were doing a chopper trip across Aus ... what happened?

Ummm ... just checked the dates ... a very drunken Songkran here in Bangkok

[MeMock]

Onya wayne!

The shuttle to Auckland airport is picking me up in 3 hours. I guess I should pack, with a 10kg bag limit it should only take me 5 mins though! I actually just turned on the computer to update my ipod but somehow got distracted!

[kingwilly]

good luck mate.