BANGKOK, April 13 — Devout Thai Buddhists joined by foreigners early Wednesday celebrated the first day of Songkran festival or Thailand’s traditional New Year by offering alms to monks and asking for blessings from elderly people.

Ten senior Buddhist monks chanted prayers at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) headquarters, City Hall, while BMA Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra led city officials in offering alms to 184 monks. BMA officials and civil servants later asked for blessings from elderly people present there.

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