Allyson Spier/Cornell Chronicle

From left, Dapong Boon-Long '10; Thongek Tirasirichai, a graduate student; and Wannasarn Noonsuk, also a graduate student, pose at the Cornell Thai Association's Thai Fest in Willard Straight Hall on April 12.

For most Americans mid-April is notable for the federal tax deadline of April 15. For Thais around the world, the date marks the beginning of Songkran -- a new calendar year. In Thailand, Songkran is celebrated with the throwing of water, but students in the Cornell Thai Association kept their festivities limited to food, dancing, music and boxing.

The Cornell Thai Association celebrated the three-day new year holiday by showing off Thai culture to the Cornell community at Thai Fest in Willard Straight Hall on April 12 -- the last day of year 2550 on the Thai calendar. About 180 Cornell students and faculty attended.

Allyson Spier/Cornell Chronicle

Nisara Sriwattanaworachai, a Cornell graduate student, performs a traditional Thai dance in celebration of the Thai new year.

The evening's performances ranged from traditional to contemporary. A Malai dance, a style from northern Thailand used to honor the Buddha, kicked-off the event. Other performances included renditions by Cornell students of contemporary popular songs "Rak Kao Kao" by the Thai band Soul After Six and "Fah" by Tattoo Color, as well as a piece titled "When," composed by Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand's monarch.

A demonstration of Muay Thai, a form of boxing, elicited several loud gasps from the audience as the performers knocked each other to the floor. Muay Thai is a unique style of boxing, members of the Cornell Thai Association explained, because participants are allowed to use any body part, instead of only hands or feet, against their opponents.

Thai Fest was sponsored by Ithaca restaurants Taste of Thai and Sticky Rice, as well the International Students' Programming Board, the Southeast Asia Program, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Royal Thai Consulate of New York.

The Cornell Thai Association is dedicated to promoting community among Cornell's Thai population, as well as sharing Thai culture with the Cornell community, according to its Web site.

Chris Tozzi '08 is a writer intern at the Cornell Chronicle.