Bangkok:- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will hold Songkran celebrations at Sanam Luang between April 12 and April 15.

“We will organize a variety of activities in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Fine Arts Department, and various other relevant agencies,” Deputy Bangkok City Clerk Atthaporn Suwattanadecha says.

Among the planned activities are the parade of Phra Buddha Sihing state, alms-giving rituals, cultural shows, Thai-dance classes and performances by famous artists.

“We will also have a beauty contest for elderly women,” Atthaporn discloses.

Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year. While it is often marked with merry water splashing, the festival also contains much cultural elements.

Atthaporn says the BMA-sponsored Songkran activities will this year focus on the traditional themes of safety, no nakedness, no nudeness, no powder and no alcohol.

“Police will conduct patrols around Sanam Luang during the festival,” he says.

Songkran is one of Thailand’s most colorful festivals. Each year, millions of Thais as well as foreign tourists have celebrated Songkran with water throwing. While most of water splashing is done for fun, there are now growing concerns about sexual harassment with some revelers getting drunk and using powder touch as an excuse to sexually touch the body of others.

Relevant authorities in various zones have thus seriously campaigned against alcohol, powder and inappropriate choices of clothes. When wet, some clothes are very revealing.

BMA will ban alcohol, powder and revealing clothes in its Songkran zones.

Crowds can sit and play tiddly-winks while watching old women parade before them. Sounds like great fun. This military junta really seem to have a handle on what enjoyment is all about. Can't wait to get down to Sanam Luang for the songkran festivities. What a hoot it will be!!

Thank God (Buddha?) for the ban!