DOZENS of families at Westquay were left drenched this afternoon – and for once it wasn’t because of the rain.

Restaurant Thaikhun held a huge water fight outside its premises at the shopping centre.

The one-off event is believed to be the first in the UK to celebrate Thailand’s annual Songkran festival.

Attendees shot and splashed water at each other, similar to how those would in Thailand over this period.

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The participants gathered round a table to ‘lock and load’ their weapons of choice, before being split into teams.

A quick countdown saw eager children painfully resisting the squeeze of a trigger.

Then the carnage began.

Jessica Mills, 8, got involved in the action.

She said: “I’m soaked! That was so much fun, my aim is really good too, so I got loads of people wet.”

Her mother, Bella, added: “You should have seen her face! All the kids’ faces really. They were having an incredible time.

Daily Echo:

“What an honour to have one of the first events of its kind, here in Southampton, too.”

Lorraine Bridge, from Portswood, was passing the event by chance when her daughter Emily asked to join in.

“Well this was a pleasant surprise. I’m just glad I’ve got a towel in the boot of the car.

“She seems to be really enjoying herself. I must admit I’d never really heard of Songkran before, but it’s great to see a different culture being celebrated here.”

James Pople, 41, who lives in Redbridge, had heard about the event through the Echo website.

He said: “My son Henry was so keen to come down. I mean, what eight-year-old wouldn’t want to join in a huge water fight?

“So we popped along and I don’t think I’ve been so drenched in my life.

“What a great idea by the restaurant to bring something like this, for free, to Southampton.”

Daily Echo:

Those participating were also entered into a draw to win a £1,000 travel voucher to spend on a trip of their choice.

A spokesperson for Thaikhun said: “Songkran is a huge celebration in Thailand, it’s like Christmas is here in the UK, so we were excited to be able to bring celebrations to Southampton for everyone to enjoy.

“The water is used to symbolise the ‘washing away’ of past misfortunes and is sprinkled onto elders or Buddha images at temples and homes across the country. Pouring water over somebody during Songkran is meant to bring good luck, so we weren’t surprised to see plenty people wanting to get involved.”

 

 

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