TAT Expects Nearly Half a Million Visitors to Amazing Songkran Events

[webfact]

 

by Krajangwit Johjit

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) anticipates that the "Amazing Songkran 2022 Celebrations" event will bring in nearly 459,000 Thai and foreign tourists and generate up to 1.8 billion baht in revenue.

 

As part of the ’Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing New Chapters’ campaign, TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn stated that the event, which is organized in accordance with the government’s safety measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, aims to promote safety tourism, preserve Thai traditions, and allow tourists to gain new travel experiences.

 

The Amazing Songkran festival continues until April 17 at ten temples in Bangkok: Wat Arun, Wat Pho, Wat Rakang, Wat Suthat, Wat Kalayanamit, Wat Prayun, Wat Ratchanatdaram, Wat Mahathat, Wat Saket, and Wat Ratchabophit.

 

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The event features water offerings to Buddha statues, an augmented reality photo corner, and lucky draws. Special performances, including the Khon masked dance, Thai-style antiphon singing, Thai puppet shows, and demonstrations of authentic Thai dessert making and fruit carving, have also been scheduled at Wat Saket and Wat Ratchabophit.

 

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the TAT governor stated that eventgoers will be given a temperature check and are required to strictly adhere to the mask-wearing and social distancing rules. He added that water splashing, powder smearing, or alcohol consumption are also prohibited at all venues.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-04-15

 

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[ezzra]

Yes in deed, 'Amazing' government dictated and controlled celebrations, N. Korea style... no one asked the people and revellers what they want or like... 

Edited April 15, 2022 by ezzra

[ThailandRyan]

Amazing Songkran event Khao San Rd. style where the police have now confiscated all observed water guns, warned revelers and threatened them with fines and Jail time.  The Governor has spoken and because his rear end was booted by Prayut.  The same on Bangla Rd, and in Chiang Mai.  

 

My half Thai daughter who lives with her mom in the US called me and wanted to know how the funs was going as she misses the Songkran water fights.  I informed her that for the third year in a row the festivities were canceled.  She said she had seen on Tik Tok big water fights happening in Thailand.  I then had to tell her about the first part of what I posted.  She then stated "<deleted> is wrong with that f'd up government", and she is only 14, soon to be 15, out of the mouths of children.....

[mahtin]

Amazingly inappropriate presumably out-of-date photo used here.

The way things were.

 

[RafPinto]

TAT expects... nearly half a million.

20,000 is also almost close to 500k

[ThailandRyan]

41 minutes ago, RafPinto said:

TAT expects... nearly half a million.

20,000 is also almost close to 500k

250k the new Million

[hotchilli]

TAT expects a lot but rarely delivers.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

Yes in deed, 'Amazing' government dictated and controlled celebrations, N. Korea style... no one asked the people and revellers what they want or like... 

If most Thais or revelers got what they wanted I'd be on the next plane out of here.

[internationalism]

some 5000 venues across the country got special permits to do holiday activities, so only 100 people at each.

Listing those 10 bangkok temples is bringing there tens of thousands every day. There is no chance for social distancing - even if not allowed inside temple, they will gather outside, at streets and at car parks.

Some shopping malls also applied for kite flying, dance and singing performances, some other cultural events. The are all overcrowded, with punters lining for shops, cafes, restaurants. 

Water splashing is harmless in comparison to those visiting temples, malls and the other enclosed places.

Even if water games are banned, they should be tolerated. Surely young generation will hate dinosaurs for robbing them for the 3rd year of some entertainment. They will remember it at election times  

Edited April 15, 2022 by internationalism

[Misterwhisper]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

"Amazing Songkran 2022 Celebrations" event will bring in nearly 459,000 Thai and foreign tourists

458,921 Thai tourists and 79 foreign tourists to be exact. 

[connda]

On 4/15/2022 at 11:05 AM, ThailandRyan said:

Amazing Songkran event Khao San Rd. style where the police have now confiscated all observed water guns, warned revelers and threatened them with fines and Jail time.  The Governor has spoken and because his rear end was booted by Prayut.  The same on Bangla Rd, and in Chiang Mai.  

 

My half Thai daughter who lives with her mom in the US called me and wanted to know how the funs was going as she misses the Songkran water fights.  I informed her that for the third year in a row the festivities were canceled.  She said she had seen on Tik Tok big water fights happening in Thailand.  I then had to tell her about the first part of what I posted.  She then stated "<deleted> is wrong with that f'd up government", and she is only 14, soon to be 15, out of the mouths of children.....

They have wanted to do this for years, they just have an excuse to now dismantle this cultural event.  When I first got here 15 years ago I enjoyed the "Largest Water-Fight in The World."  It was a good experience.
Now officially Puu Sung Ayu, I could care less.  No water being thrown is fine my me.  But 'authorities' dismiss that fact that this 'water-fight' event brought in billions of THB of revenue.  All that is left now are 'officials' posing for photo-ops expressing at how much money a Boring Waterless Songkran is making   
They've already killed the geese laying golden eggs; now they extol plain omelets without spice or even salt.

[connda]

On 4/15/2022 at 11:05 AM, ThailandRyan said:

She then stated "<deleted> is wrong with that f'd up government", and she is only 14, soon to be 15, out of the mouths of children.....

Not a nice thing to say at 14, but then again - she's not wrong.  Control freaks now have the ultimate control riding on the back of a virus. 
The power freaks will never give the power up.  The commoners must be kept in line which means - No Fun.
Fun is now a prosecutable offense.

[JackSinclair]

There ya go................ The Times finally  agrees with all the Thaivisa experts ????

Sorry about being TLR.......

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/banged-up-in-paradise-how-our-dream-holiday-to-thailand-ended-before-it-began-fttgqtmtr

[StayinThailand2much]

On 4/15/2022 at 10:40 AM, webfact said:

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) anticipates that the "Amazing Songkran 2022 Celebrations" event will bring in nearly 459,000 Thai and foreign tourists and generate up to 1.8 billion baht in revenue.

So, did they pick that number out of a hat, or just use their calculators?

[internationalism]

this 3900b per person to spend on food and maybe some small souvenir is a little too much. OK, add 20b per person for travel costs

[ThailandRyan]

15 hours ago, JackSinclair said:

There ya go................ The Times finally  agrees with all the Thaivisa experts ????

Sorry about being TLR.......

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/banged-up-in-paradise-how-our-dream-holiday-to-thailand-ended-before-it-began-fttgqtmtr

So you resorted to adding me to your post for what reason...

[jerrymahoney]

8 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

So you resorted to adding me to your post for what reason...

One has to wonder.