Surviving Songkran with an Akita in Ayutthaya

Songkran in Ayutthaya is beautiful and loud. Elephants near the old city, music from every temple, and kids with water guns standing on every corner from morning until night. For people it is the best week of the year. For a thick-coated Akita like Kaew, who already suffers in the April heat, it was a test of character.

The first year, I made a mistake. I took him for his normal evening walk along the river and a group of teenagers soaked us both with a bucket of ice water. Kaew did not bark. He just stopped, looked at me with his serious face and refused to move for five whole minutes. I had to carry the wet, offended dog home, and he sulked under the mango tree until sunrise.

So this year we made a plan. First, we walked very early, before six, when the streets are empty and the only people awake are monks and bakers. Second, I made a small sign for the front of our house that said, in Thai, that the dog is not part of the party, please do not spray him. Our neighbours loved it, and a few of them even laughed and asked for a photo with the sign. Third, I kept him inside in the afternoons with the fan on and the curtains drawn, because the noise of the loud speakers can be stressful for many dogs.

One thing I learned from the vet is that cold water on a hot dog is not the same as cooling him down gently, so I use wet towels on his belly and paws instead of dumping water on him. I also keep fresh water everywhere. In the evening, when the neighbourhood goes quiet and the last speaker is switched off, Kaew comes alive like always. We walked slowly to the river, and the whole city smelled of wet jasmine and street food.

Kaew got one small splash this year, from a granny with a tiny silver bowl. She poured a few drops on his back and said a blessing for a happy new year. He allowed it. I think that is the only kind of Songkran he accepts.