Chiang Mai’s old moat is a major focus of the city’s Songkran water celebrations.
During Songkran, people gather around the moat to collect and throw water, making the historic waterway one of Thailand’s best-known festival settings. The city’s celebrations also include temple visits, processions, traditional performances, and the bathing of Buddha images.
Chiang Mai is the cultural center of northern Thailand and was historically the capital of the Lanna kingdom. Its old city walls and moat provide a distinctive urban landscape for a large, highly visible public festival.
The moat is not the source of Songkran itself, nor is Chiang Mai the only Thai city that celebrates the festival. Its fame comes from the scale and recognizable setting of its local observances, which attract both Thai visitors and international travelers.