Culture ministry launches campaign to boost awareness for traditional Songkran

[webfact]

Special Report:
Culture ministry launches campaign to boost awareness for traditional Songkran

BANGKOK: -- The Ministry of Culture is set to launch a campaign to honour traditional roots of Songkran as revelers tend to focus less on cultural aspects of the festival in recent years

The ministry has released a statement saying that reports of violent water-throwing, provocative attires, drunk-driving and other risky behavior have deeply concerned cultural preservation groups. In addition to misrepresenting the true meaning of the festival, younger generations may cause harm to others while engaging in such behavior.

A “White Songkran” is being launched by the ministry as a way to re-educate revelers on Songkran’s roots. Leaflets and guidelines will be publicly distributed to raise awareness on the issue. According to the ministry, those participating in the festivities should don appropriate outfits for the occasion, clean their houses, temples and communities as well as making merit at temples. Revelers should refrain from driving under the influence of alcohol, throwing water at motorists, using powder paste and ice cubes or using the opportunity to grope other individuals.

The Tourist Police will also deploy a team of officers to monitor tourist sites and venues where the Songkran Festival would attract foreigners. Foreigners attending the festival will receive information from officers regarding this particular element of the Thai culture.

Every year, road safety has been one of the main concerns for the police and government agencies. Thailand’s highway death toll over the seven days of Songkran, 11 to 17 April 2013, reached 321 surpassing the 2012's toll by 0.31%, or just by a single death. Measures are being mapped out to ease traffic congestion and prevent road accidents during the coming festival.

According to the Transport Ministry, public transport including taxis, buses and BTS as well as MRT electric mass transit trains will be ready to take incoming and outgoing Songkran revelers to and from major bus terminals and airports to their destinations.

At least 10 million people are expected to commute on public transport in Bangkok and 4.1 million to travel to the provinces during the water-splashing festival on April 11-13.

In addition to an exodus of Thai holidaymakers returning home for the holiday, officials in Tak province has reported that around 10,000 Myanmar workers have been crossing the border at the Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge for the Songkran Holidays. The festive period marks the first time that Myanmar will conduct its official census in 30 years starting from this Sunday onwards.

The Songkran festival is celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year's Day from April 13-15. It is traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends, neighbors, and monks. The throwing of water originated as a way to pay respect to people, by capturing the water after it had been poured over the Buddhas for cleansing and then using this "blessed" water to give good fortune to elders and family by gently pouring it on the shoulder.

-- NNT 2014-04-04

[chooka]

No different to the west where the traditional meanings of Christmas and Easter have all but totally disappeared. They are now just a business and an excuse to get plastered and abuse the family.

[chooka]

"or using the opportunity to grope other individuals." Well there goes my Songkran. I only go out for the wet "T" shirts and a bit of a grope.

[Yunla]

I've got this crumbling old poster on my wall for years, with the "Seven Ladies Of Songkran" all riding around on their animals with arrows etc. Our ancestors knew how to create some great imagery, it is a shame people nowadays often don't take the time to look at this stuff.

[NongKhaiKid]

The Ministry is wasting its time. The traditional meaning and culture is well known but has been pushed aside in favour of the madness we all know and most of us detest.

Another point is much of the country is in drought but no government, provincial governor or politician have the balls to do anything to prevent the criminal waste of water however as soon as the holiday is over there will be theusual pathetic calls for conservation

[fakename]

Little bet late to start teaching about Songkran. Just before every holiday, they start this education joke.

[mrjonyoung]

I've got this crumbling old poster on my wall for years, with the "Seven Ladies Of Songkran" all riding around on their animals with arrows etc. Our ancestors knew how to create some great imagery, it is a shame people nowadays often don't take the time to look at this stuff.

wanna see that poster.

[hhiser]

I've got this crumbling old poster on my wall for years, with the "Seven Ladies Of Songkran" all riding around on their animals with arrows etc. Our ancestors knew how to create some great imagery, it is a shame people nowadays often don't take the time to look at this stuff.

wanna see that poster.

[Thai at Heart]

Meanwhile, TAT has organised 7,massive provincial PiS* ups

[chooka]

I've got this crumbling old poster on my wall for years, with the "Seven Ladies Of Songkran" all riding around on their animals with arrows etc. Our ancestors knew how to create some great imagery, it is a shame people nowadays often don't take the time to look at this stuff.

wanna see that poster.

songkran-bare-breasted-painting.jpg

Yes Thai culture needs to be restored.

[catmac]

Now who was it who said "When I hear the word culture, I want to reach for my gun"?

Sometimes I have to sympathise with Goering, (yes, I know the quote is wrongly attributed to him!), the World moves on and traditions change with it. I remember staying at a "cultural" hotel in LOS where all the room numbers were only shown in the traditional Thai numerals - bedtime was hilarious as scores of guests wandered about trying to find their rooms!

[Nickymaster]

I've got this crumbling old poster on my wall for years, with the "Seven Ladies Of Songkran" all riding around on their animals with arrows etc. Our ancestors knew how to create some great imagery, it is a shame people nowadays often don't take the time to look at this stuff.

wanna see that poster.

songkran-bare-breasted-painting.jpg

LOL. That's the same one I had in mind.

[belg]

maybe start awereness about being real buddists (no killing, no stealing, no greed...), and not the kind you get here... oh sorry, that is thainess

[Hugh Geen]

"Foreigners attending the festival will receive information from officers regarding this particular element of the Thai culture." - which particular element is that? (surely not 'foreigners attending the festival').