Air Travellers Flock To Thailand For Songkran Celebrations

[webfact]

Air travellers flock to Thailand for Songkran celebrations
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, Apr 6 - At least 2.69 million tourists will arrive Thailand on 16,000 flights from next week to celebrate the water-splashing Songkran festival, according to the Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT).

Several airlines will increase flights to Bangkok on April 9-18. Flights via Suvarnabhumi airport will be boosted from 802 flights/day to 844 flights/day through the Thai New Year festival, comprised of 682 international flights and 162 domestic flights.

Passengers using the airport during Songkran will increase from around 157,000 persons/day to 164,000 persons/day.

Don Mueang airport, which provides budget airline service, will be equally busy with 370 flights/day, up from the normal 320 flights/day.

Passenger traffic will rise to about 50,000 persons/day from the regular 45,000 persons/day, the AoT said.

Phuket airport in Thailand's South will see 191 flights/day over the holiday period, an increase from the normal 170 flights/day, while passengers will increase from 27,000 persons/day to 30,000 persons/day.

At Chiang Mai airport in the North of Thailand, 128 flights will tread the runway each day during the festival. Normal traffic at the airport is 120 flights/day. Passengers will increase from 13,800 persons/day to 14,600 persons/day. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-04-06

[whybother]

I'm guessing that most of the people arriving over the next week don't know anything about Songkran.

[JetsetBkk]

4 days to go!

- until I visit Makro, Big C, etc for a final stock-up before padlocking the gates for a week.

I think my drinks delivery is on its way:

.

[Ricardo]

I hope you remembered a bottle of sherry, for the ladies ?

[Locationthailand]

Why would thousands of people want to come to a country who banned water pistols and drinking? Waste of money.

[marinediscoking]

I am guessing the numbers are higher because of thai's returning from abroad for songkran. I don't think there is much of an increase of tourist who come for this. My friend who will be leaving during songkran could not get a re-entry permit from pattaya immigration yesterday. After arriving at 10 am he was told to they closed the que as they could not process anymore before Wednesday of next week. So he will try again then.

Edited April 6, 2013 by marinediscoking

[arthurboy]

And all is sabai sabai in the Land of Smiles...

[Thereisnoif]

A few more days and there will be the annual invasion of singaporean and taiwanese gay men in my serviced apartment, who come for the Songkran madness.

I'll be off to Hong Kong to stay away from this misery .

[lee b]

Well according to the government with there 11 rules about songkran, it should be like it is in november ! Nothing going on ! Haha cant see anyone sticking to these rules no matter what the so called punishment may be.

[ZhouZhou]

I'm guessing that most of the people arriving over the next week don't know anything about Songkran.

sure? not everyone is an ignorant tourist who knows nothing or little about Thailand.

What i guess is that they are happy and be glad for having holidays in Thailand and will enjoy their stay here. thier happiness seems to be other peoples misery.

but then no matter, those responsible for the increase of air traffic and planes coming probably do know what songkran is and it is the reason why they come.

[transam]

Not all,

[johng]

I am guessing the numbers are higher because of thai's returning from abroad for songkran. I don't think there is much of an increase of tourist who come for this. My friend who will be leaving during songkran could not get a re-entry permit from pattaya immigration yesterday. After arriving at 10 am he was told to they closed the que as they could not process anymore before Wednesday of next week. So he will try again then.

Your friend could get a re-entry permit at the airport.

[marinediscoking]

I am guessing the numbers are higher because of thai's returning from abroad for songkran. I don't think there is much of an increase of tourist who come for this. My friend who will be leaving during songkran could not get a re-entry permit from pattaya immigration yesterday. After arriving at 10 am he was told to they closed the que as they could not process anymore before Wednesday of next week. So he will try again then.

Your friend could get a re-entry permit at the airport.

He is going from Don Muang. I am not sure if they have a desk there.

[EyesWideOpen]

I am always amazed when I see headlines like this. Every farang I know is either dreading songkran, or is leaving town. The airplanes must be full of returning Thais...

[ZhouZhou]

I am always amazed when I see headlines like this. Every farang I know is either dreading songkran, or is leaving town. The airplanes must be full of returning Thais...

first if it says 'tourists' that doesn't mean they must be farang and second you maybe know only a certain group of farangs.

i know foreigners, some of them also farang, who like songkran

Edited April 6, 2013 by ZhouZhou

[smutcakes]

I love Songkran, but then again I am not a miserable cynical b*****d like most on TVF. I also have a proper job in Thailand so appreciate having a few days holiday, unlike most on TVF.

[bill014]

ZhouZhou. I'll have a double of what you drink as it obviously blinds you to the realities of Songkran. For those of us that actually reside here and those that work here, there is nothing worse than having to shop for groceries or go to work soaking wet because some dumb Thai or foreigner does not understand what Songkran is all about. The good old days where people respected you and just put a dab of water on the forehead seem to have been lost.

[transam]

I love Songkran, but then again I am not a miserable cynical b*****d like most on TVF. I also have a proper job in Thailand so appreciate having a few days holiday, unlike most on TVF.

From the car wash. ? Go for it.

[rubl]

I assume a returning Thai is not counted as tourist?

Anyway, with strict control on drinks, high-power (water) guns and a few more, I'm sure that Khao San road here in Bangkok will be a family friendly place with Songkhran

[julemanden]

They come, fine i go no matter what, just hate this time a year, off to the Philippines

[Thongkorn]

I'm guessing that most of the people arriving over the next week don't know anything about Songkran.

I think most will be Thais coming home to see there Family , me for one.

[upena]

Most of those are domestic Thais traveling home for Songkran but TAT counts them as tourists

[EyesWideOpen]

Most of those are domestic Thais traveling home for Songkran but TAT counts them as tourists

I am curious if a break down is given after the holidays.

[sandrabbit]

I don't mind Songkran but the drunken Thai drivers using the beach road where I live as a racetrack scare the shit out of me so stocking up with food and not using car or scooter for a few days and having a quiet drink in a bar about 1 min walk away. If I need to go out I will be using the car.

[loong]

Well extra flights into Thailand also have to fly out. Are inward bound flights fuller than the outward bound?

Reporting that more passengers are using the airport doesn't necessarily mean that those passengers are flying in.

[ZhouZhou]

Anyway, with strict control on drinks, high-power (water) guns and a few more, I'm sure that Khao San road here in Bangkok will be a family friendly place with Songkhran

yes. and that also means an almost high end tourist friendly place.

[phantomfiddler]

Save a seat on one of those arriving flights, because I,m outta here ! My hero was the local cop who shot three aquahooligans while he was taking his kids to school on his motorbike. As for the new rules, 55555 !

[JetsetBkk]

ZhouZhou. I'll have a double of what you drink as it obviously blinds you to the realities of Songkran. For those of us that actually reside here and those that work here, there is nothing worse than having to shop for groceries or go to work soaking wet because some dumb Thai or foreigner does not understand what Songkran is all about. The good old days where people respected you and just put a dab of water on the forehead seem to have been lost.

Agreed. About 11 years ago in Bangkok I was trapped in my condo during Songkran and made a dash for the 7/11. I was waylaid by a couple of Thai youths who very politely asked if they could put some powder on my face, so I agreed - thinking I was going to get sloshed with it. But they were very careful and put a dab of powder on each cheek, and then gave me a wai and said "Thank you, sir."

I was quite touched.

Hasn't happened since though.

[drdoom6996]

I'm guessing that most of the people arriving over the next week don't know anything about Songkran.

They will surely be taught, up close and personally. I hope they survive.

[DLock]

Songkran is fun for one day of getting wet and then a few days holiday doing nothing...but stock up.

The Thais have fun and seem to stop playing water at about 7pm. It's the dumbass foreigners who start a few days early, end a few days late and keep throwing water long after 7pm.

Last year walking along Soi 11 to eat at Limoncello some drunk farang doused me with a bucket. I told him politely not to do it, but he did it anyway. All his friends were laughing and thought it was funny until I walked up and knocked him clean out. They stopped laughing.

Limoncello was closed. I was wet.

Edited April 6, 2013 by DLock