Water, and what it was for
Songkran began as a gentle thing: scented water poured over the hands of elders and over Buddha images, a rinsing of the old year. The street version most visitors meet (hoses, buckets, an entire city soaked for three days) grew out of that and has not replaced it.
Both still happen on the same day. The temples in the morning are quiet and formal; the streets by afternoon are not.
The elephants
Ayutthaya's elephants have been part of the city's image since it was a capital, and during Songkran they take part in the water-throwing along the roads near the historic park. It is a genuine local tradition and also a working attraction, and it is worth choosing carefully which operation you give money to.
Ask how the animals are kept outside the festival week. The answers vary a great deal between camps in the same town.
Practicalities
13 to 15 April, every year, fixed. Unlike the lunar festivals, this one does not move. It is the hottest part of the Thai year, which is the point.
Assume everything you carry will get wet. Transport fills up for days on either side, because most of the country is travelling home at the same time.
