The Laotian traditional New Year is celebrated according to the Buddhist calendar and usually takes place from April 13 to 16 every year. This year, BunPiMay Tet is April 13, 14 and 15.
 
On New Year's Day, Lao people jubilantly hold a grandiose water festival with the wish: The return of water will help rice fields and crops grow, sprout, and flourish - The family's life will be full and happy.
 
Special rituals in Lao New Year's culture
1. Buddha statue bathing ceremony:
This is the main and most prominent ritual of the holiday. People will bathe Buddha statues, towers, and trees around the pagoda to pray for a good harvest, favorable rain, and a peaceful, prosperous country and a full life.
 
2. Ceremony
On New Year's Day, Lao people will visit pagodas, make offerings to Buddha, pray for good things for the new year, and listen to preachers who live in good faith.
 
3. Bow to the elders, tie the wrist thread
In the custom of Lao people, on New Year's Day, all members, even if they are far away from home, will return to participate in the bowing ceremony for elders:
Family members will use water with flowers to wash the hands of grandparents, parents, and adults with the meaning of washing away bad luck and bad luck to welcome a happy and healthy new year.
Besides, there is also a ceremony to  tie the wrist thread, in order to wishing each other good things on the first day of the new year.
 
4. Splashing water to each other
Splashing water as a blessing for each other. Laotians have a belief that the more water someone splashes, the more luck they will have in the year.
 
Let's take a look at the pictures of Lao students organizing the Water Festival in Vietnam: