These zero dollar tours were happening with Chinese tourists in Australia also,before the pandemic.I don't know if it's still happening,or even what the state of Chinese tourism to Australia is these days
"Local police advised him to relocate as the group of creditors was influential, had numerous associates, and did not fear local law enforcement." When I read that it just brought home the ineffectiveness and impotency of the Plod.
The first year I came to LOS I had this in Pattaya.I was renting bike bikes and at the back of Jomtien they nearly killed me when I got a bucket of water in the face from a pick up while riding.I stayed up .Parked the bike for 10 days and never went back to Pattaya during Songkran again. Esan has succumbed to the uncivilized water throwing idiots but as you say only for three days thankfully.
Well ,not opening Shopping Malls until 10 am , closing Service stations at midnight and not selling alcohol between 2pm and 5 pm [I'm not sure of the times] were all Shinawatra ideas and look how well they worked. So why not a month long Songkran ?