People across Thailand are celebrating the traditional New Year holiday with a splash as full-scale festivities return for the first time in four years.

The Songkran holiday began on Thursday, including its famous "water festival."

People took to the streets to soak each other as part of a cleansing ritual and forget about the scorching heat. Temperatures in the capital, Bangkok, have topped 35 degrees Celsius in recent days.

The celebrations will continue through Saturday, as people welcome the new year by getting together with family and visiting temples.