Songkran Splashdown In Old Phuket Town

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Songkran splashdown in Old Phuket Town

Action from last year's Songkran parade in Patong, Phuket.

PHUKET: -- While getting soaked during Songkran in Patong has long been inevitable, the chances of staying dry in Phuket Old Town used to be somewhat higher.

Not this year. In a bid to reduce crowding on Patong Beach, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pushing Phuket Old Town as an alternative setting for the New Year water fight.

In Patong, “The Water Festival on the Beach” will center on Bangla Road on Monday and Tuesday.

There will be a parade and performances on stage at the beach end of the street, as well as beauty contests and competitions for kids.

Meanwhile, “Songkran in Old Town Phuket” will take place in and around Queen Sirikit Park on Thalang Road from Tuesday to Thursday.

Traditional activities will include merit-making and bathing Buddha images.

The TAT will also provide water tanks for water fighters.

In a new twist, craftsmen from some of the island’s hotels will show off their ice carving skills between 5pm and 10pm each day.

There will also be an imitation temple fair, with stage performances, movies and games such as dart throwing.

The island’s most skillful mixologists will put on cocktail shows each evening.

Wanaphapar Suksombul, assistant director of TAT Phuket, said numbers of Thai and foreign visitors would be up over the Songkran period.

Occupancy rate is currently around 70-80% in Phuket Town and around 80-90% at the beach resorts , she said. “By the time of the festival it will be full.”

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-04-07

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[NBT TV Phuket]

VDO on item--4 at http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...ws_headline=VDO - weekly Andaman News April 9 (whole program) or

Songkran Festival will be held in Phuket, both on the beach and in the Old Town area.

Residents and visitors to Phuket can celebrate the traditional Thai festival of Songkran in many locations in Phuket. As for tourists, the Tourism Authority of Thailand's or TAT Phuket office director Bangonrat Shinaprayoon suggests two main locations under two themes. They are 'The Water Festival on the Beach' at the popular tourist beach of Patong and 'Songkran' in the Old Town area in Phuket city. The traditional Songkran Festival will be celebrated throughout Thailand during April 13-15. Mrs. Bangonrat expects that the popular festival will help promote Phuket under 'My Beloved Thailand campaign' and 'Amazing Thailand-Amazing Value' campaign. The TAT expects more than 80% occupancy rate in hotels during the festival period. Phuket is one of the best places to celebrate Songkran Festival, where foreign visitors can learn and join in the residents at the traditional ceremony of pouring lustral water over Buddha image and elderly and later throwing or splashing water at each other. Bangla Road in Patong is usually turned into a water-war road on April 13th where participants, mostly tourists enjoy the water fights. The festival also combines the Phuket Bike Week with many festive activities on stage in Patong. Meanwhile Songkran in Old Phuket Town will be held during April 13-15, at 5-10 pm at Queen Sirikit Public Park near the TAT office. At this location people can make merit by presenting alms to Buddhist monks, and bathe the Buddha image – 'Buddha Sihing'. Participants will also enjoy exquisite ice carving shows while they can test out different types of local gourmet. Songkran Festival is the traditional Thai New Year. This is the time for Thais to pay homage to Buddha images, clean their houses, and sprinkle water on their elders in a show of respect. It's also a time for family re-union. Anyone who goes out on the streets is likely to get wet, but usually people welcome it as April is the peak of the hot season in Thailand.

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