"... The government might extend the Songkran festival to stimulate the national economy. ..."

 

Might as well drag out electrical cables and attach them to their private parts to stimulate the economy.  "Back to work!!!"

Is this a truly genuine lack of any ability to think holistically,strategically or even intelligently or is it simply that they know their pronouncements will not be held up to the candle nor their arguments be forensically deconstructed in front of them by a tough interviewer ,as you might have in the West , and simply know a shallow cosmetic ‘solution' is all that’s needed for an undiscerning Thai audience? 

17 hours ago, zydeco said:

Improve the economic numbers by closing down factories and plants for two extra days???  Ding. Ding. Ding. What is going on, here?

It's likely that the extra holidays will just be for government employees, or in some cases come private employers might move holidays from other dates to these two. It is unlikely companies will increase minimum public holidays from 13 to 15.

18 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

Just boggles the mind. No critical thinking from some.

OK, it boggles the mind.  But there is a lot of critical thinking on the streets.  Like "The traffic light just turned red 5 seconds ago, so if I stomp on the accelerator, we can make it."

Great idea, extend a water wasting holiday by 2 days in the middle of a drought, gonna have to pay always!

17 hours ago, webfact said:

The government might extend the Songkran festival to stimulate the national economy.

People only have so much money to play with, they'll just stretch the same amount over the extended period, or be pushed further into debt.

The government seems to think that the Thai populous has a surplus of spending money!

oh my buddha save face.... but face is sinking... Thailand is sinking..  since they start the crack down with immigration tm30 and the cave while Chinese died in Phuket  everything falling apart    people are sick of fake smile and cheating... 

Not one positive!

28 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

Is this a truly genuine lack of any ability to think holistically,strategically or even intelligently or ...

No, they just bought their wives those fluffy, barky little designer dogs some years back and they are emulating them.  Yap, yap, yap! 

 

I need to conduct a satisfaction survey with six of my wife's Thai siblings & kids whom we sponsored to come to the USA about 8+ years ago.  I also need to have my head examined, but that's a different chapter.

Edited February 14, 20206 yr by Damrongsak

Oh no ,we will have to stay indoors longer if the extend it ,

13 hours ago, madmitch said:

Lucky they don't add a new Constitution Day holiday every time Thailand has a new constitution.

Don't give them bad ideas 

A couple of more days to decrease the Thai population.

Dream on, government, there won't be any water left by mid-April.

18 hours ago, zydeco said:

Improve the economic numbers by closing down factories and plants for two extra days???  Ding. Ding. Ding. What is going on, here?

IIRC, the then junta chose to arbitrarily tack-on additional holidays on the April 2016 calendar during their 'bringing happiness to the people' era. The net result was as you suggest, lower production, stalled deliveries all at a cost to manufacturers and their customers.

 

Meanwhile, the workers were enjoying having twice as many weekends in Pattaya, Hua Hin, Khaoyai or wherever their chosen, regional down time venue was located.

 

Roll around May and the smaller April pay checks dropped along with a whole lot of pennies. Our ad-hoc Udon moobahn pawnbroker business doubled their inventory of motorbikes while the numbers of regular workers stopping by Mrs NL's Isaan stinky food emporium in Nongplalai to buy good value, home-cooked, take-away dinners went off a cliff.

 

In July and August, the previously glacial increases in everything from pork to veggies at the market accelerated and the break-even point was lost so by October, the restaurant was shuttered. We only hung out an extra 30+ days to ensure we didn't break the lease and got the security deposit back which barely covered those losses. The very busy, new big, fancy restaurant down the street with pools, fountains and salas lasted maybe 3 months longer but was mostly empty for 2 of them.

 

Meanwhile, up in Udon, we started selling some of the 'no-hope' motorbikes. Of course, they tended to be the older, bought-and-paid-for ones so not exactly a gold mine. You would be surprised at what some of the locals will do to keep up with their motorbike payments. Well, maybe not so surprised.

 

Anyway, I need to tell Mrs NL that we should start freeing up some space in the backyard for the 2020, post-Songkran, pay-day loan, motorbike collection.

Edited February 14, 20206 yr by NanLaew

Another excuse for holiday.  New Year, Chinese New Year, Songkran extend 2 days total 9 days... Villages will make it 2 weeks..

 

No school 3 days this week..... Was going to ask when do the children here in the Northeast learn? Then I remembered they don’t.

Then extend drought another few days...

18 hours ago, zydeco said:

Improve the economic numbers by closing down factories and plants for two extra days???  Ding. Ding. Ding. What is going on, here?

And using more water for the festival which they do not have!! Numbnuts they are!!????????????????

Yeah ok, that's if there's any water left...... Sweet Jesus, it's as sad as watching an orphanage burn down.... 

Yes good idea Bangkok over this period is quite where I stay so the longer holiday the better

Pattaya and the other holiday resorts can enjoy throwing water over each other while the rest of the country suffers drought

And as has been mentioned already more traffic on the roads causing more accidents and carnage 

16 hours ago, lujanit said:

Songkran is a wonderful time in BKK.  Very little traffic on the roads.  Extend songkran to a month.

Yes and they tend to stop the burning during Songkran so perhaps you'll even be about to go outside and enjoy it without exposing yourself to horrific levels of PM2.5.????

We are witnessing an administration that is facing the abyss, and completely unprepared for it. Alot of very mediocre minds, devoid of talent and creativity throwing things against the wall, and seeing if something sticks. 
 

I believe they were putting all kinds of restrictions on this holiday just last year. How things chance in one short year!

Songkran is just an excuse by Thais to get <deleted> out of their heads for another 2 days . Thailand already had 23 public holidays Yeah why not have some more and let more die on the roads. 

The virus loves to reproduce in wet environments????????????

If that's the case and they extend it, I think I will start a new Refrigerated Casket business. As the numbers of dead will need coffins and to be put on ice........

Haha unbelievable 

whst else can we say? 

This would be the dumbest idea ever.

Pattaya already extends this festival and the locals leave in mass.

All workers off work go home, and the the place is overcome by

morons.

I know my local bar which runs golf tours 6 days weekly seldom 

operates during Songkran.

Personally I love the actual Songkran day, it’s festive feel etc.

But it’s not a week long event or 9 days whatever.

And the general Pattaya area has not had significant rain for months. 

Lets waste what water there is.

If they (government) had put less money in their own pockets it would not have been too bad for the individual .. Here the word utopia fits in.. 

So spending money on holidays rather than producing helps the economy?

Like a baby celebration in a bathroom a shower orgainsing a shower, such foresight.

A final push to boost  sufficient road casualities there maybe no one left for the adventurous tourists to infect.

 

Imagine just how bereft it would be without a tourist authority.

BREATHTAKINGLY imbecilic proposal.