Songkran 2021: Last year was a "washout" but this year looks just as gloomy

[webfact]

Songkran 2021: Last year was a "washout" but this year looks just as gloomy

 

 

Last year the Songkran water festival marking the traditional Thai New Year was almost completely cancelled because of the pandemic. 

 

But while plans are afoot to celebrate the festival this year the indications are that it will still be little more than a damp squib - possibly even another washout.

 

That is if plans for the event in Khao San Road, Bangkok are anything to go by. 

 

A cultural leader has indicated there could be no water throwing at all and it will end early.

 

While a business leader has spoken of a fraction of the usual income being expected with most businesses not bothering to open.

 

Of course there will be no foreign tourists to swell the coffers.

 

Somboon Homnan of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Department called it the "New Normal Songkran".

 

Among his proposals being considered are limits to the number of people allowed to attend, no water throwing at all just some lustral water sprinkling, and holding the event in Khao San Road two hours earlier at 8pm rather than 10pm.

 

Sanga Reuangwatanakul of the local business traders association was even more gloomy saying that "every trader in the area accepted there are obstacles".

 

He pointed to the fact that there will be no foreign tourists and they will have to make do with Thais this year. 

 

He said that in normal years Songkran brought in FIFTY MILLION baht a day to the area with 2,000 rooms all booked out.

 

This year a total of 10 million baht for the whole thing is expected. 

 

He said that most hotels are still shut and will remain so and souvenir shops will be shuttered too.

 

Only restaurants are likely to open, he lamented. 

 

Meanwhile, Channel 7 reported that PM Prayuth Chan-ocha praised everyone for their sterling work during the pandemic that has led to Thailand being able to celebrate Songkran this year. 

 

But if the news coming out of Bangkok is anything to go by, it looks like the pandemic "grinch" may well steal this year's Songkran too!

 

Source: Channel 7

 

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[fangless]

Nice to see some good news at last.  Long may the so called festival remain a damp squib!

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that in normal years Songkran brought in FIFTY MILLION baht a day to the area with 2,000 rooms all booked out.

 

This year a total of 10 million baht for the whole thing is expected. 

That's pretty dire ! If they based it on 4 days, that would mean about 5% only of usual income and 5% of hotel occupancy. No wonder they want the tourists back.

[ukrules]

There's not going to be a Songkran this year, it's plain as day - literally nothing has changed since last year so why would the outcome be any different?

 

They're not even rolling out the mass vaccinations until after Songkran.

 

[Artisi]

16 minutes ago, fangless said:

Nice to see some good news at last.  Long may the so called festival remain a damp squib!

Certainly agree to a point, unfortunately it has got completely out of hand and now only viewed as a massive income source - it certainly needs pulling back into line and treated as it should be - nothing wrong with a few street parades and water throwing, but within reason.

[Sydneyboy1]

41 minutes ago, ukrules said:

There's not going to be a Songkran this year, it's plain as day - literally nothing has changed since last year so why would the outcome be any different?

 

They're not even rolling out the mass vaccinations until after Songkran.

 

There will be a Songkran in Thailand.  Maybe not at Pattaya,  Phuket and other tourist areas but go to a thai village/town where there is very few falang and the party will be in full swing.  

[ChrisKC]

I know there are a few people in this forum that will be happy about the demise of Songkran for another year. I am not one of them! I enjoy a bit of fun and while being soaked with ice cold water is not my ideal cup of tea, it is only once a year. I do know how to avoid t if I don't like it. But I am thinking of those whose business woes get little respite given their problems for more than an entire year already.

 

I think also of the children who love their Songkran and for the activities of throwing water over everything that moves is so exciting for them when at any other time it's obviously no go!

 

Songkran - where you can let your hair down a bit - if you have any!

 

 

[British Bulldog]

29 minutes ago, Sydneyboy1 said:

There will be a Songkran in Thailand.  Maybe not at Pattaya,  Phuket and other tourist areas but go to a thai village/town where there is very few falang and the party will be in full swing.  

I agree, too much talk about it not happening in Khao San Road etc. ... sure it may not happen there but guaranteed the Country Folk will celebrate !

[Pottinger]

As always in Thailand, It's All About the Munee, Somchai.

[lazeeboy]

For shops and restaurants songkran will be to them what one good shot to golfer means HOPE and light at the end of the tunnel 90% of small business are already finished let's hope some survive this bad time

[KC 71]

36 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

I know there are a few people in this forum that will be happy about the demise of Songkran for another year. I am not one of them! I enjoy a bit of fun and while being soaked with ice cold water is not my ideal cup of tea, it is only once a year. I do know how to avoid t if I don't like it. But I am thinking of those whose business woes get little respite given their problems for more than an entire year already.

 

I think also of the children who love their Songkran and for the activities of throwing water over everything that moves is so exciting for them when at any other time it's obviously no go!

 

Songkran - where you can let your hair down a bit - if you have any!

 

 

Unfortunately i am as bald as a coot, but hopefully we can spend a day near the Mekong,or a local lake maybe ????

[jesimps]

Every pandemic has a silver lining.

[Paul Henry]

Time Songkran as it is currently (sorry was)  is pulled into gear. The festival has become ridiculous. A mixture of water,( with God knows what in it )  over excitement, alcohol and one upmanship has become dangerous. Three years ago I witnessed fights and aggression during Songkran mainly from over enthusiastic Thais and foreigners. Was in an open front bar just after 7pm the staff had just "cleaned up and dried the slippery floor tiles when idiots across the soi started squirting and throwing water back into the bar, very close to an all out fight was on the verge of breaking out. Yes it was Falangs causing the problem then Thais joined in. Lucky police happened to drive pass and stop. Time for common sense to come into play. The government already faces water shortages yet encourages wasting millions of litres in the name of " NEW YEAR"

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, Sydneyboy1 said:

There will be a Songkran in Thailand.  Maybe not at Pattaya,  Phuket and other tourist areas but go to a thai village/town where there is very few falang and the party will be in full swing.  

Just like last year?

[AussieinThaiJim]

If they can have Songkran maybe we can get vaccinated instead?

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Of course there will be no foreign tourists to swell the coffers.

Thais will do it in their own way, go home to family, have a bit of a bash with friends, drink, die and go back to work.

Thailand can blame the lack of an inoculation plan delaying the re-opening of Thailand.

[Aomelia]

2 hours ago, Artisi said:

Certainly agree to a point, unfortunately it has got completely out of hand and now only viewed as a massive income source - it certainly needs pulling back into line and treated as it should be - nothing wrong with a few street parades and water throwing, but within reason.

9 days in Pattaya is Ridiculous 

[from the home of CC]

1 hour ago, Pottinger said:

As always in Thailand, It's All About the Munee, Somchai.

must be hard to write with the white hood slipping over your eyes..

[sammieuk1]

Will have to make do with water cannons and gas this year and bring your own shipping container for some extra fun????

[bkk6060]

I don't care for it much but I think SG will in fact take place.  It is important to Thais and after last year was canceled, I see it happening.

They have had several of these long weekends to promote domestic tourism without a lot of issues, so why not.

 

 

[mark131v]

Wonder how many government panels was required to work out that shocker?

 

Seems they always needs a group of the so called 'educated class' to state the bleeding obvious, <deleted>in cretins the lot of them...

[Happyman567]

Might save some lives on the roads

[from the home of CC]

good, the intention of this was not to entertain foreigners anyways..

[newnative]

     Good.  Sounds like it will be more like what it traditionally used to be.

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, KC 71 said:

Unfortunately i am as bald as a coot, but hopefully we can spend a day near the Mekong,or a local lake maybe ????

Hopefully, the Mekong and the lake your looking at have water, not looking good so far....

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

good, the intention of this was not to entertain foreigners anyways..

Yes, it was and is for making merit, praying to and pouring water on the buddha statues at the Wat, and  washing away the past years sins and bad luck.  Of course washing your elders and giving them thanks for raising you.

[shackleton]

Agreed the villages around Thailand will be celebrating Songkran 

The kids local people showing respect to their elders

Then we come to Pattaya and  Khaosan Road where tourists 

Usually drinking and spraying everyone in sight

As there are No tourists in Thailand hopefully it will be a low key event 

This year????

 

[from the home of CC]

20 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Yes, it was and is for making merit, praying to and pouring water on the buddha statues at the Wat, and  washing away the past years sins and bad luck.  Of course washing your elders and giving them thanks for raising you.

yea, kinda like the catholics splashing folks with water, supposedly holy lol. But I never saw my priest all pi**ed up throwing buckets lol..

[ThailandRyan]

6 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

yea, kinda like the catholics splashing folks with water, supposedly holy lol. But I never saw my priest all pi**ed up throwing buckets lol..

That would have been something to see, A catholic priest wielding the sticks dipped in water, yelling Hallelujah and smashing the wetted sticks up the side of ones head while drinking a shot or two of wine from the communal cup, oh wait I saw that years ago on Bangla in Patong, my bad,

[from the home of CC]

4 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

That would have been something to see, A catholic priest wielding the sticks dipped in water, yelling Hallelujah and smashing the wetted sticks up the side of ones head while drinking a shot or two of wine from the communal cup, oh wait I saw that years ago on Bangla in Patong, my bad,

when I was 7 yrs old I was disciplined by a nun for misbehavior at school. To this day I cannot reach orgasm till the wife chants a 'hail mary'...