If you dislike Songkran, you're going to HATE this proposal

[Gaybutton]

So far it is only a proposal. My guess is those of you concerned about it are thinking about what it might mean for water splashing activity.

I don't believe for a second that water splashing will be permitted for a whole month or even tolerated. I do believe the proposal will pass, so we'll just have to wait and see what rules, regulations, and water splashing restrictions will come with it.
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Pheu Thai Leader Proposes Month-long Songkran Festival in April of 2024

By Goongnang Suksawat

1 December, 2023

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the leader of the current majority Thai government party, Pheu Thai, revealed a plan today, December 1st, 2023 as the head of Thailand’s Soft Power Development Committee to make Songkran a month long festival across Thailand from 2024.

This comes as UNESCO, or the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation, is poised to seemingly officially announce Songkran, the Thai New Year, as an intangible cultural heritage. This is expected to become official on December 6th in Botswana and the Thai government is planning a celebration for the occasion as they have been lobbying to make the holiday official with UNESCO for years.

Once official, a celebration is planned in Bangkok to be presided over by the Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on December 7th.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Pheu Thai Party, the current Thai government majority, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is also the daughter of former PM and controversial figure Thaksin Shinawatra, presided over a meeting of the Thailand Soft Power Development Committee on December 1st and later announced on her social media channels HERE that she had proposed to make Songkran 2024 the largest ever and make it a month long celebration across Thailand to encourage tourists from around the world to attend and allow Thais to enjoy the festival and encourage domestic travel. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is also a member of Pheu Thai.

The plan, called World Water Festival, would move the celebrations from officially only three days to the entire month. This does not mean that the entire month of April would be a public holiday, of course, only that the country would celebrate Songkran across Thailand all month long by staggering events, water play, festivals, concerts, fireworks, and more across a thirty day schedule and all 77 provinces versus three days to encourage trips to different provinces and areas and extend the overall celebration.

TPN Media notes that Pattaya and much of the Eastern Seaboard already celebrates Wan Lai and Songkran on different days, differing by region, than the traditional official national days of April 13th-April 15th. It’s unclear if the proposal would have any change on these days or potentially cause the entire month of April to be open season for water wars in Pattaya. Although Songkran is enormously popular for many tourists and Thais, TPN media notes that many ex-pats, especially older ones, do not enjoy the water play parts of the festival and prefer traditional only celebrations.

During the Covid-19 crisis, Songkran was entirely cancelled in 2020 and limited to traditional only activities in 2021 and 2022, pleasing many ex-pat residents of Thailand. However, the festival returned in full water throwing form this year, 2023, and seems to be a lock to be even bigger in 2024, love it or hate it.

https://tpnnational.com/2023/12/01/pheu ... l-of-2024/

[Undaunted]

Great news watch the death rate explode!

[Jun]

Great news watch the death rate explode!

As discussed on various previous threads, the death rate over Songkran, New Year etc is often lower than normal.

The newspapers just love reporting the death rate at those times, probably because it's requires no effort to write.
Some expats obviously love reading it.

Then Gerefan invariably compares the holiday death rates with the annual death rates.

[Gaybutton]

A month of Songkran festivities along with plenty of other holidays including New Year's Eve, and extended bar hours - somehow I doubt any of that is going to reduce the death rates. We'll see what happens and don't be surprised if we also see the usual knee-jerk reactions from the powers-that-be.

Again, for now the idea of a month long Songkran is a proposal, but I have a feeling most, if not all of it, will be approved.

My guess is the water splashing will be restricted to the days they always have been. I can't imagine approving a month of water splashing and I also can't imagine the people would even want that. A few of the usual days of water splashing is one thing, but over a month it would become boring and a problem.

Nevertheless, in the Bangkok Post article, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai Party leader who came up with this proposal in the first place, is quoted as saying, "Starting from next year, the Songkran festival will not be the same. We will not splash water only for three days but the whole month with events to be held nationwide."

A month of water splashing? Unless it is permitted only in designated areas, I can't see that as happening or successful. But in Thailand you never know. Maybe I am misinterpreting what she means or has planned.

Here is the article:
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Songkran set to 'go global'

Festivities to last one month: Paetongtarn

by Aekarach Sattaburuth

December 2, 2023

Thailand will transform Songkran into a month-long global water festival next year to boost its "soft power" and attract international tourists.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai Party leader and the National Soft Power Strategy Committee (NSPSC) president, on Friday announced that the committee agreed to push Songkran to become one of the world's best festivals.

"Let's make the Songkran festival the event that everyone has to fly to Thailand to attend. Let's make Thailand [home of] one of the top 10 global festivals," Ms Paetongtarn said.

"Starting from next year, the Songkran festival will not be the same. We will not splash water only for three days but the whole month with events to be held nationwide," she said.

The committee expects the extended festival to generate 35 billion baht for the Thai economy, she wrote on her Facebook page.

On Thursday, the NSPSC drafted a budget of 5.1 billion baht, which will be allocated to mobilise the main industries the committee is focusing on, including festival events (1 billion baht), culinary affairs (1 billion baht), tourism (711 million baht), entertainment (545 million baht), sports (500 million baht), Thai arts (380 million baht), creative design (310 million baht), music (144 million baht) and books (69 million baht).

Dr Surapong Suebwonglee, NSPSC vice president, said that to push Thailand's soft power, the government must also pass the Soft Power Act and set up the Thailand Creative Content Agency (Thacca). Thacca will have 12 sub-committees focusing on different soft power industries. Each sub-committee will have representatives from their respective sectors.

Dr Surapong said the NSPSC will review the requested budget around Dec 14 before submitting its final report to the cabinet in January.

Chadatip Chutrakul, chief executive of Siam Piwat Co, the operator of Siam Paragon, Siam Center and Siam Discovery malls, said that the sub-committee on festival events plans to organise more than 10,000 nationwide events throughout 2024, with the highlight being the extended Songkran in April.

As president of the sub-committee of festival events, Ms Chadatip said the water festival will be held on Rachadamnoen Avenue and other locations in Old Town Bangkok with performances from global and local artists.

Apart from Bangkok, each province will hold water festival events throughout April, promoting their unique provincial traditions.

Ms Chadatip said the events would offer employment for locals at the village level and allow organisers to train locals in event planning.

Ms Chadatip added that the sub-committee will also create a mobile app which promotes Thailand's soft power to foreigners.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -go-global

[Dodger]

It sounds like they simply want to increase tourism (and $$money$$ spending) during the Songkran period with yet another one of their genius proposals. The fact that they still want to restrict the "water-splashing" period to just 3 days should put people over 50 at ease.

There should be a book written...better yet a comic book series...entitled "The Pure Lunacy of Thai Proposals".

[Gaybutton]

The fact that they still want to restrict the "water-splashing" period to just 3 days

That depends on how you interpret what you're reading. That same sentence could also be saying there will be water splashing the whole month.

I doubt she means water splashing for the entire month. The only times they waste so much water to that degree is when there is a severe drought . . .

[Gaybutton]

Paetongtarn Shinawatra has now clarified what she meant. Dodger got it right. There will NOT be water splashing for the entire month. She meant that many other types of festivities are being planned that do not involve water splashing, which hopefully will attract many foreign and domestic tourists.

The water splashing days will remain as they have always been. In Pattaya water splashing often begins on April 13 - usually small children with squirt guns that can shoot water about 6 inches. It escalates daily until the "Big Day", which in 2024 will be Friday, April 19.

In recent years, even before Covid, there was hardly any water splashing at all until the "Big Day", wish some getting started on the 18th.

The exception to that is usually drunks, especially the heavily tattooed farang drunks, hanging out along Beach road, Second Road near Central Festival, and the bar area just outside of Jomtien complex. Other than those areas water splashing is usually rare or none at all.

We'll see how it all works out this year.

[Gaybutton]

I take exception to this part of the article: "Songkran water fights run for three days, such as the 13th-15th in Bangkok. Pattaya, however, often runs for eight days or more and isn’t expected to change."

Based on my observations and experience, that just isn't so. In Pattaya, even before Covid, the water splashing has been as I wrote in my post above. You are highly unlikely to get involuntarily splashed until the "Big Day", April 19. It could happen the day before on the 18th too. But even on those days getting splashed is avoidable.

However, I'm sure I am not convincing those of you who annually pack your bags and go elsewhere during Songkran. So, if that is you, have a nice trip wherever you decide to go.
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Songkran Festival Receives UNESCO Recognition as Humanity’s Intangible Cultural Heritage

By Kittisak Phalaharn

7 December, 2023

On December 5th, 2023, Mr. Kowit Phakamas, the Director-General of the Thai Department of Cultural Promotion, publicly announced the registration of the Songkran Festival in Thailand as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO.

The intergovernmental committee meeting was held at Kasane City in the Republic of Botswana, at 5:00 PM, on December 6th, 2023, under the 18th Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Kowit delightfully revealed great news to the Thai people that UNESCO would register the Songkran festival as humanity’s intangible cultural heritage, which would preserve national cultural wisdom.

Furthermore, it would strengthen mutual knowledge and understanding for foreigners living in Thailand of diversity of cultural differences. It would promulgate “Soft Power” to international stages which stimulate the Thai economy and generate financial income for the country, said Kowit.

The Thai government will arrange a Songkran celebration parade of “Humanity’s Cultural Heritage” at Bangkok City Hall and Wat Suthat, Bangkok, on December 7th at 6:00 p.m. The celebration event will have the Thai Prime Minister, Mr. Srettha Thavisin, cabinets, and government officials participate.

TPN Media notes that recently Thailand’s Pheu Thai Party Leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra proposed making Songkran a month long, which led many to believe this meant water fights for thirty days, which caused major concerns and criticisms from environmental activists and many ex-pats who dislike the water festival.

However, she has since clarified that she only meant a month of cultural events, concerts, decorations, markets, and festivals, leaving the current water celebration days the same in current provinces. In most of the provinces Songkran water fights run for three days, such as the 13th-15th in Bangkok. Pattaya, however, often runs for eight days or more and isn’t expected to change.

https://thepattayanews.com/2023/12/07/s ... -heritage/

[christianpfc]

Which ever way it turns out, I made arrangements to spend the entire April outside of Thailand to make sure I don't see a single drop of Songkran water. And for coming years I will try the same.

[Gaybutton]

It's not merely a proposal anymore.

"Songkran events throughout the country will span 21 days, but doesn’t mean 21 days of water fights everywhere."

Then what does it mean? 1 day of water splashing? 5 days of water splashing? And the holiday ends on April 16. In Pattaya, the "Big Day" for water splashing has always been the 19th. In Chonburi it's the 18th. In Sattahip it's the 20th. Are those dates going to change?

For me, this article raises more questions than it does answers. Of course if and when we get further information it will be posted.
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Thai Cabinet Extends Songkran Holiday to Five Days to Boost Tourism

By Aim Tanakorn

13 February, 2024

In a bid to stimulate tourism during the upcoming Songkran festival, the Thai Cabinet has approved the addition of a special public holiday on April 12th, 2024. This decision extends the traditional Songkran holiday period to five days, running from April 12th to 16th.

News reports following the Cabinet meeting indicate that the intention behind this move is to provide an extra day off to boost tourism and economy during the Songkran holiday.

With the approval of this special holiday, Songkran celebrations in Thailand will now officially span five days, from April 12th to 16th. The Thai government anticipates that this extended break will further energize the tourism sector, building upon earlier efforts to establish Songkran as a key economic driver.

Meanwhile, the overall period of Songkran events throughout the country will span 21 days, but doesn’t mean 21 days of water fights everywhere.

https://thepattayanews.com/2024/02/13/t ... t-tourism/