Where the Mon New Year Spills Through the Streets of Phra Pradaeng
It is late April, and the lanes around Phra Pradaeng Market are slick underfoot. Water arcs from buckets, from pickup beds, from the hands of children who have been waiting all morning. The air smells of grilled skewers and wet asphalt, and somewhere ahead, a line of women in Mon shawls is carrying a flower float toward the district office. This is Pak Lad Songkran — the Mon Songkran of Phra Pradaeng — and it runs roughly a week after the rest of Thailand has finished celebrating.
In 2026, the official event runs 24–26 April, three full days, centred on the Phra Pradaeng District Office and the surrounding municipality areas of Samut Prakan Province. The festival is a Songkran of the Thai Mon ethnic group, dating back more than 180 years, and it keeps a calendar and a character distinct from the standard national holiday.
Join the Nang Songkran Parade and the Merit-Making at the Water's Edge
The centrepiece is the Nang Songkran Parade — a decorated flower float procession in which women in traditional Thai Mon attire carry fish and birds for release. It is a procession you can walk alongside, not just watch from a distance.
- Bird and Fish Release Ceremony at Wat Prodket Chettharam Temple — a merit-making rite rooted in Mon belief, performed for good fortune and compassion toward living creatures.
- Mon Sabaa Game — courtship rituals of young Mon men and women, staged at "Sabaa Pond" events in various villages.
- Mon Tha-ye Performance — folk singing and dancing unique to the Pak Lad Mon community.
On 26 April, Phra Pradaeng's "flowing day," Suksawat Road and the roads around Phra Pradaeng Market close from the afternoon for the parade. That is the day to be in position early rather than in transit.
Eat What the Mon Kitchen Serves: Rice in Cold Water and Kalamae
The festival preserves Mon identity through its table as much as its stage. During merit-making, guests are served "rice in cold water" dishes and Kalamae — the renowned Phra Pradaeng sweet. Look for both in the market and at temple-hosted merit-making, where they are offered to visitors as part of the tradition. This is seasonal eating tied directly to the rite, not a generic street-food crawl.
Getting to Phra Pradaeng Without Losing the Day to Traffic
Roads close and traffic is heavy, especially on 26 April. Plan for one to two extra hours of travel, and bring a waterproof phone pouch.
- Ferry (recommended): Pu Chao Saming Phrai Pier on the Samut Prakan side to Petra Pier or Phra Pradaeng Pier; ferries also run from Bang Na Pier.
- BTS: alight at Samrong Station, then transfer to a songthaew or van toward Phra Pradaeng Pier.
- Bus: routes 82 (Phra Pradaeng–Sanam Luang), 138 (Phra Pradaeng–Mo Chit 2), 506 (Pak Kret–Phra Pradaeng), and 6 (Phra Pradaeng–Bang Lamphu).
- Car: set your destination to Phra Pradaeng District Office. Event parking is limited; approved nearby lots include the Phra Pradaeng Arcade area and private lots on the outskirts, followed by a motorcycle taxi to the event.
Shape Your Three Days Around the Villages and the Pond
Because the Sabaa Pond events are held in various villages, the festival rewards moving between neighbourhoods rather than staying in one spot. Base yourself near the district office and the market for the parade and the main crowds, then follow the programme out to the villages for the Sabaa Game and the Mon Tha-ye performances. Keep the temple visit for the merit-making hours, and leave the afternoon of the 26th free for the procession itself.
Start with the ferry timetable and a hotel near Phra Pradaeng Pier, block out 24–26 April 2026, and pack a dry bag. The Mon New Year here asks only that you arrive willing to get wet and to eat what you are handed.