Nam-Ob Thai In The Thai New Year

Author: Saronkorn Seuyouyong

Nam-Ob Thai

Nam- Ob Thai is one of Krueng Pratin, featuring clear, perfumed water in light yellow colour. Its name derives from a major peocess of making “Ob” (vapouring). The Nam-Ob could be made with or without fresh flowers.

Applications of the Nam-Ob Thai

1. Directly apply on face and body to relieve skin from hot temperature and reduce sweat odour.

2. Mix with Pang-Rum before applying on face or body for beauty and reduce skin irritation.

3. Sprinkle on clothes.

4. Mix with powdered Kamin an rub on body skin before raking a bath. It is a traditional, beautifying therapy for Thai women in the past.

5. Mix with powdered rice grain. This could reduce skin irritation and rashes caused by dust allergies.

6. Mix with Pang Krajae to remark objects in blessing ceremonies.

7. Being an offering in some rituals such as the Rice Goddess’s

8. Bathe the Buddha’s image, monks or the elderly in special festivals such as Songkran’s festival.

9. Mix with fresh or dry potpourri.

10. Bathe the pass-away’s body in general bathe people’s funeral. The King may allow a royal Nam-Ob Thai bathe for high-ranking’s funerals.

The Thai New Year (Thai: สงกรานต์ Songkran) is celebrated every year on April 13 to April 15. It is also celebrated in Laos (called Songkan in Lao), Myanmar (Burma where it is called Thingyan), and by ethnic Dai in Yunnan, China. Sri Lanka also celebrates a similar festival called Sinhalese and Tamil new year on the same dates.

The date of the festival was originally set by astrological calculation, but it is now fixed . If these days fall on a weekend, the missed days off will be taken on the days immediately following (But Sri Lanka still uses an astrological calculation to set the dates and times based on the sun's positional change and those dates and times are used to start the festival events). Songkran falls in the hottest time of the year in Thailand, at the end of the dry season. Until 1888 the Thai New Year was the beginning of the year in Thailand; thereafter April 1 was used until 1940. January 1 is now the beginning of the year. The traditional Thai New Year has been a national holiday since then.

Tags: Nam-Ob