BMA plans Songkran activities

Thanatpong Kongsai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Besides water wars, many tamer Songkran celebrations will be on offer at places across Bangkok, such as City Hall, with the bathing of the Phra Phuttasihing statue and other Buddha images, and alms-giving for 185 monks.

"We will also arrange colourful activities typical of traditional temple fairs," Deputy Governor Taya Teepsuwan said yesterday.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will hold a variety of fun events as well as ceremonies such as asking for blessings from seniors at the multipurpose field in front of its office from April 12-15.

The BMA will also join with M2F magazine, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Central Department Store to stage the Bangkok Songkran Festival 2012@CentralWorld from April 13-15.

"The event will be held at the plaza in front of CentralWorld from noon to 10pm during those days," Taya said.

The fair will have three zones - Carnival World, Entertainment World and Water World.

"Besides water splashing, there will be areas with a Ferris wheel and merry-go-round too," she said.

Authorities yesterday kicked off their road-safety campaign, which will continue to April 17, she added.

Last year, traffic accidents in the capital over the Songkran holidays claimed 12 lives.

-- The Nation 2012-04-03

Any road safety campaign, no matter the good intentions, is doomed to fail unless, and until, the government recognises that the long term solution lies in education, strengthening of weak laws and enforcement of the laws: education of the Thai public at large; review of laws that do not properly address safety standards; acceptance by the police that they have a legal duty to enforce the law.

To name but three examples of truly amazing Thailand: pickup trucks are not, and never have been, intended to carry passengers in the cargo section; motorcycles without sidecars are not, and never have been, intended to carry more than one passenger, never mind three, or even four, and especially babies and toddlers; use of mobile phones whilst driving IS illegal, and for damned good reason - Thais' attention span can be poor at the best of times. How can they possibly concentrate on the road in front of, around, and behind them, when the main focus of their attention is the phone jammed to their ear?