Theravada Buddhism provides the main religious setting for Songkran temple observances in Thailand.
Thailand is a predominantly Theravada Buddhist country, and Songkran customs commonly include visiting temples, making merit, offering food to monks, listening to sermons, and cleaning or respectfully bathing Buddha images. These activities connect the New Year with purification, gratitude, and the renewal of family and community relationships.
Songkran is not exclusively a Buddhist festival. Its calendar has older South and Southeast Asian solar elements, and many customs are family or community practices rather than formal doctrinal requirements. The public water festival also includes secular entertainment and tourism events.
Theravada identifies the school of Buddhism historically dominant in Thailand and much of mainland Southeast Asia. It should not be confused with Mahayana or Vajrayana, which are major Buddhist traditions but are not the principal religious framework for Thailand’s Songkran observances.