Celebrating Songkran: Thailand Bets Big on Boosting Tourism

[snoop1130]

File photo for reference only

 

The Thai government is planning a spectacular celebration for the upcoming Songkran festival, with an investment of 153 million baht. Known as the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025, this event is set to take place in Bangkok at Sanam Luang from April 11th to 15th. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has approved this funding in the hope of sparking a tourism boom.

 

 

The cabinet anticipates that the festival will attract around 800,000 visitors, both local and international, and generate about 3.2 billion baht in tourist spending. The initiative, led by the Tourism and Sports Ministry, aims to showcase the vibrant culture and spirit of Thai New Year, positioning Thailand as a prime destination for travelers during the festival season, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2025-03-03

 

 

[flyingtlger]

After a handful of Songkran, I leave Thailand and go somewhere I can rest and relax in peace......

[blaze master]

1 trillion zillion million billion dollars. 

[TedG]

It's a messy time. 

 

[Jim Blue]

Air Asia already booked... Back 20 th.!

[ChipButty]

So far according to a few travel web sites, bookings are down, for April, Booking.com was down 14% the other day, 

[NorthernRyland]

I hate Songkran now. It must be the only holiday in which participation is mandatory. I'd accept buckets of water for one day or water guns for 3 days but buckets of water for 3 days is a bridge too far.

 

I've also never lived in an area where there was a single safe street I could get too, there's a always a blockade with drunks and kids making escape impossible unless you want to get soaked.

[Jim Blue]

If you consider the other religions Xmas Lent , Ramadan they all have some element of happiness and joy .But Songkran , which translates as water  wars is just that. A WAR !

[Joseph98765]

for that, you need to fix the pollution first...

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

After a handful of Songkran, I leave Thailand and go somewhere I can rest and relax in peace......

You will be missed..

[1happykamper]

An excellent time to visit Da Lat. Vietnam 😎✌️

[scude102]

20 years in Thailand, I had a great time at SongKran, but no more tourist places, I appreciate this celebration off the tourist circuit, it's a very beautiful tradition.

[kwan]

  --"vibrant culture and spirit of Thai New Year"

 

Chucking 'watter' !

[it is what it is]

45 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

I hate Songkran now. It must be the only holiday in which participation is mandatory. I'd accept buckets of water for one day or water guns for 3 days but buckets of water for 3 days is a bridge too far.

 

I've also never lived in an area where there was a single safe street I could get too, there's a always a blockade with drunks and kids making escape impossible unless you want to get soaked.

 

i get that children and teenagers, to an extent, finding throwing water highly amusing, but just look at the adults doing it, invariably they are the lower class, uneducated of the population. non of my thai friends will go anywhere near the water throwing, they, quite sensibly, see it for what it is and would dearly love for the idiocy to stop.

[Tarteso]

No restrictions or bans nor warnings from health authorities on the use of talcum powder and  classified by the WHO as a carcinogenic product. It’ss a very dangerous product because it is made of asbestos. So rub your face on Sonkrang days👍

 

 

[sambum]

The photo says a lot - I wonder how many people fall off their motorbikes due to getting a bowlful of iced water (sometimes laced with detergent which can temporarily "blind" you) thrown forcefully into their faces by "fun loving" revellers?

[proton]

Celebrated these days by kids, backpackers, morons and drunks. To be avoided.

[ChipButty]

My wife wont go anywhere near the beach front in Rawai, some years ago we decided to go away for a few days and we headed south and we ended up in Pattalung and the main temple there hada festival going on, we went there, none of this crazy water throwing and water guns, more of a religious festival,  

[erectem]

11 hours ago, TedG said:

It's a messy time. 

 

 

[erectem]

never noticed.

[Stargeezr]

I only enjoy Loi Krathong, a much more peacful festival. Songkran has always been

a crazy wet time in Thailand. The water is never clean as well so one could get many 

kinds of diseases from it, including eye inf ections.

[Robert_Smith]

Ahhh, the annual water wasting ceremony, then 2 weeks later complaints start rolling in about droughts all over the country...

 

It's a stupid custom and should be banned.

 

Regards,

Bob.

[Patong2021]

I booked my flight out last month. I do not wish to participate in the annual " Return of the Archons" as the nation descends into debauchery and chaos. Easy Peasy. I don't look back or in while I am gone. This year, I will get out before the airport congestion starts.

[StayinThailand2much]

Yeah, that's what every tourist dreams about. Being doused in dirty water, and most shops being closed... 😆 

[alex8912]

On 3/4/2025 at 2:03 PM, it is what it is said:

 

i get that children and teenagers, to an extent, finding throwing water highly amusing, but just look at the adults doing it, invariably they are the lower class, uneducated of the population. non of my thai friends will go anywhere near the water throwing, they, quite sensibly, see it for what it is and would dearly love for the idiocy to stop.

Can you tell us how the upper class educated and lower class uneducated soaking wet people with water guns look different?? 

[alex8912]

On 3/4/2025 at 3:46 PM, sambum said:

The photo says a lot - I wonder how many people fall off their motorbikes due to getting a bowlful of iced water (sometimes laced with detergent which can temporarily "blind" you) thrown forcefully into their faces by "fun loving" revellers?

I wonder how many of those people had an entire year to plan ahead and stay away from the major water throwing areas??

[bkk6060]

Announced by a local media 10 days in Pattaya.  10 thru 19.

Got to get the H out of here!

[greeneking]

On 3/4/2025 at 1:47 PM, scude102 said:

20 years in Thailand, I had a great time at SongKran, but no more tourist places, I appreciate this celebration off the tourist circuit, it's a very beautiful tradition.

The true tradition is lovely.

The days of drunken boorishness are a travesty.

[greeneking]

7 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Can you tell us how the upper class educated and lower class uneducated soaking wet people with water guns look different?? 

Yes. The upper classes are not there. And the uneducated are.