The Thingyan water festival kicked off in the all regions and states across Myanmar on Thursday.

Traditional dance troupes in colorful dresses performed at the opening ceremony of water festival across the Southeast Asian country. This year's water festival of Myanmar will run until April 16 and the Myanmar New Year falls on April 17.

The opening ceremony of Yangon's water festival was held at the mayor's pavilion erected in front of the Yangon City Hall. Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein extended wishes to the people for a happy water festival and a prosperous new year.

Special celebrations such as walking Thingyan festival in some towns and floating water festival in Inle Lake of Shan State were also featured in this year's traditional water-splashing festival.

Among Myanmar's 12 seasonal festivals throughout the year, the Thingyan water festival is grandly celebrated across the country with water-splashing activities and merit-making activities.

Myanmar people annually celebrate the Thingyan water festival to welcome the new year as other Southeast Asian countries such as Songkran in Thailand and Chaul Chnam Thmey in Cambodia.

As part of celebration of the festival, people throw and douse water onto one another to wash sins and make clear moral impurities from the old year.