All being well, Thailand will celebrate Songkran this year: Health Ministry

[snoop1130]

All being well, Thailand will celebrate Songkran this year: Health Ministry

 

Image: Reuters file photo

 

Thailand will be able to celebrate Songkran this year, providing the number of coronavirus infections continue to fall, the deputy health minister has said.

 

The Songkran celebrations in 2020 had to be cancelled due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. But the famous water festival, which marks the beginning of  Thai New Year, is set to return in all its glory. 

 

According to Sanook News, Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha has said that if people continue to follow the preventative measures put in place to limit the spread of the virus, then the Songkran water festival will go ahead as normal in April.

 

Mr Sathit added that it is expected Thailand will continue to see over one hundred new cases per day for some time to come. This is because the preventive measures put in place  are not as strict as during the first outbreak of the virus last year. 

 

However, the government was also concerned about the impact stricter measures would have on the economy.  

 

Mr Sathit’s comments suggested the government was trying to balance controlling the new wave of infections without further damaging the beleaguered economy.

 

The news comes as Thailand on Wednesday recorded another sharp fall in the number of new infections, with health officials reporting 157 new cases, down from 287 new cases reported on Tuesday.

 

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[fishtank]

Obviously trying to break the record for road deaths during this stupid festival.

I wish it could be banned indefinitely.

[zzaa09]

Well or not.

Thai communities will observe in one fashion or another. 

 

Needn't have the suppressive authorities to tell us when to wipe and when not to. 

[Susco]

13 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

 

Thailand will be able to celebrate Songkran this year,

 

I recall an identical announcement about a year ago

[CRUNCHER]

Just hope we can travel somewhere to get away from the madness.

[internationalism]

the last year songkran was cancelled on 18th March, so less than 4 weeks in advance. Possibly it will go in zero infections provinces and strictly barred in red ones.

I do think the government are trying to boost it's popularity and show covid success, give people hope for future.

Possibly with this announcement they are trying to convince to strictly follow rules and have some 10 days of songkran this year (it's in the middle of week, tuesday-thursday) as a reward.

But how the second wave will play out is too early to guess. It might last until hot weather comes sometimes in March.

The quantity of vax (some 800k) from china will come only on 8th March, before they are distributed and start to work would be the end of month.

Personally I don't plan to travel anywhere at that time, because traffic jams and overflowing hotels, but will do many short mid-week brakes before that. Still many provinces are opened and travel is possible.

I am afraid, that red zone provinces around bangkok will be growing, probably samut songkran, nakhom pathom or even some districts in bangkok. The sixth red province included just a few days ago is samut prakan, which is very well integrated with bangkok

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by internationalism

[fondue zoo]

So..no Songkran.

[Tropicalevo]

If the powers that be allow people to celebrate Songkran, then the protesters will be on the streets.

They will find a way to cancel Songkran.

People in  power are more frightened of the protesters than they are of Covid.

[Jingthing]

Here's a chance to cancel it permanently.

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

All being well, Thailand will celebrate Songkran this year: Health Ministry

December looking good

[alex8912]

Yah with no tourists. I can just imagine how every old man scared of water and fun in Pattaya will be still celebrating under their  bed terrified. Just wait till April 2022. It will be epic!! Some of you guys can start complaining about it this May. Wa wa wa I can’t ride my motorbike for a week. 

[blazes]

All being well?????  Surely that's a typing error.  Should be "All being sick (moronic,etc.-- choose your own adjective)".

[Dialemco]

Far to early to suggest Songkran will proceed as normal as this is not correct. Please wait for the vaccine to be rolled out meanwhile safety measures should be kept in place. Let's hope by the end of the year there should be some normality 

[madmen]

6 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Yah with no tourists. I can just imagine how every old man scared of water and fun in Pattaya will be still celebrating under their  bed terrified. Just wait till April 2022. It will be epic!! Some of you guys can start complaining about it this May. Wa wa wa I can’t ride my motorbike for a week. 

Enjoy your covid. 

No sane foreigner will be exposing himself to that. A few days of fun followed by a respirator. Seems like a fair trade off 

[redwood1]

12 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Yah with no tourists. I can just imagine how every old man scared of water and fun in Pattaya will be still celebrating under their  bed terrified. Just wait till April 2022. It will be epic!! Some of you guys can start complaining about it this May. Wa wa wa I can’t ride my motorbike for a week. 

 

I will be dancing around my room with my zimmer frame...Dancing with delight when Songkran is cancelled in 2021.....

[PatOngo]

10 hours ago, fishtank said:

Obviously trying to break the record for road deaths during this stupid festival.

I wish it could be banned indefinitely.

Never, it's a sanook cultural thing! The road fatalities are part and parcel!

[Bundooman]

24 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Yah with no tourists. I can just imagine how every old man scared of water and fun in Pattaya will be still celebrating under their  bed terrified. Just wait till April 2022. It will be epic!! Some of you guys can start complaining about it this May. Wa wa wa I can’t ride my motorbike for a week. 

Oh, dear. "Bitchy, Bitchy, Bitchy me"

Wa Wa Wa!

[hellohello123]

From the title:

"If covid didn't exist, Thailand wouldn't have covid"

 

Can I have this guys job?

[Oldie]

Songkran is the most stupid insane new year celebration I have ever seen especially in Pattaya. Please Covid help... 

[teacherclaire]

According to Sanook News, Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha has said that if people continue to follow the preventative measures put in place to limit the spread of the virus, then the Songkran water festival will go ahead as normal in April.

 

Who would believe that?

 

They announced two weeks ago to shut down schools in provinces without sick people. 

 

   It was decided on a Sunday evening at 9 pm. 

 

How would they know now if the numbers are still low in April?

 

   The fortune tellers must make good money these days. 

 

 

[tonray]

Why do they have to screw up the one sole benefit of Covid-19 ? Cancel Songkran forever...time to move into the 21st century

[vandeventer]

They now can  prove the virus can swim? Ha Ha!

[PEE TEE]

All being well,??

[mikebell]

All being well there will be 34 million Chinese tourists this year.

[Enfield]

11 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Well or not.

Thai communities will observe in one fashion or another. 

 

Needn't have the suppressive authorities to tell us when to wipe and when not to. 

The oppressive authorities you refer to may well have saved your life and 000’s of others by preventative measures.

be safe- or dead ????

[LALes]

I think Covid should be brought back every year for one week...the week of April 12-19.

[Tarteso]

The stupidest event in the world;  “Thai Culture” ;

Waste of water, waste of alcohol and waste of lives on the roads.  Give a medal to these guys in power ... Please

Edited January 14, 2021 by Tarteso

[redwood1]

About the only 3 things I have ever seen expats agree almost 100% on are....

 

1. The baht is overvalued....

2 Thai visas are a convoluted mess...

3.And almost a unanimous hatred of Songkran...

[Ireland32]

What idiot to say that Now

[quake]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Here's a chance to cancel it permanently.

Best post 2021.