When the Golden Shower Tree blooms - Songkran is around the corner

The Golden Shower tree (cassia fistula) can be found everywhere in Laos and Thailand's northeastern provinces, also know as Isaan. The flowering tree is native to southern and southeastern Asia, from Sri Lanka through India to Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.
The golden shower tree is the national tree of Thailand, and its flower is Thailand's national flower. The yellow flowers symbolize Thai royalty. Thailand's biggest flora exhibition, the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek, was named after the tree. In Thai the Golden Shower tree is called 'dok khoon' or 'ratchaphruek'.

The tree is also a popular ornamental plant and an herbal medicine.

The Golden Shower trees grows to 10-20 metres in size. Isaan's raod are often flanked with this fast growing tree. The flowers are 20-40 centimetres long and each yellow flower is 4-7 in diameter with five equaly sized petals and shape.

The fruit is a legume, 30–60 centimetres long and 1.5–2.5 centimetres broad, similar to a long bean. The fruit contains several seeds which are poisonous.

The Golden Shower tree has a strong and very durable wood.

In April the tree is flowering and turns with its bright yellow color Thais and Lao alike in a good mood - the local new year festival (Lao: Pii Mai, Thai: Songkran) is approaching. The water splashing event is held yearly on the 13th -16th of April.
Sawadee Pii Mai!

Thai New Year - Songkran, Songkran!!!

Each year in the middle of April Thai and Lao people celebrate New Year (Thai: Songkran; Lao Piimai) and show their respect for Buddha images, elderly people and their parents and superiors. The whole house is getting cleaned and refurbished. Parents are respectfully splashed with some water and powder. Often flower offerings are given as well. Similarly, vehicles such as cars and mopeds, are blessed with flowers, water and powder ...

Who ever is traveling on roads, will almost certainly get a shower from people waiting for their opportunity along the street side. Water is drown from passing cars or from kids who are heavily armed with water pistols and all kind of tools to splash water. This provides you a nice cool off during the hottest time of the year ...

Caution is however advised on Laos and Thailand's roads, as the number of fatal accidents is increasing every year!

Otherwise, a few older clothes assembled, mounted with a hat and equipped with a water pistol and off you go and join in for the ultimate water splash of the year! Happy New Year! Happy Songkran!