What is the traditional Songkran greeting in Thai?

The traditional Songkran greeting in Thai is “Sawasdee Pee Mai,” meaning “Happy New Year.” In Thai script, it is สวัสดีปีใหม่ (sawasdee pi mai), combining a greeting with the words for “new year.” “Pee” and “pi” are common English transliteration variations of ปี.

Songkran is Thailand’s traditional New Year festival, held in April. The greeting acknowledges the festival’s original purpose as a transition into a new year, rather than simply referring to its famous water festivities. People may also say “Suk san wan Songkran,” meaning “Happy Songkran.”

A common mix-up is “Sawasdee ka.” That is a polite greeting used by a female speaker, but it is not specifically the New Year wish. Thai speakers may add the polite particle “kha” or “khráp” to “Sawasdee Pee Mai,” depending on the speaker’s gender and preferred formality.