Besides water-throwing, Thais will spend, a lot

[Thaivisa News]

Bangkok residents are expected to spend about Bt22.8 billion during the upcoming Songkran Festival, according to the Kasikorn Research Center.

Songkran holidays run from April 13 to April 15, with the research center describing Songkran as the most important festival in the eyes of people living in the capital.

“We have estimated that Bangkok residents’ spending will grow by 3.6 per cent during the Songkran this year from the same period a year earlier. Last year, the Songkran celebration was affected by political rallies,” the research center announces.

It adds that Bangkok residents will likely pay Bt11.5 billion for foods and beverages, Bt4.6 billion for shopping, and Bt3.1billion for accommodation/travel expenses, and Bt3.1 billion for merit making during Songkran 2015.

“They are also expected to spend about Bt500 million on other Songkran-related expenses such as the purchase of water-splashing equipment,” the research center continues.

Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year. However, in addition to marking the time when people celebrate family time with their elders, the festival also provides much-awaited opportunities to throw water for fun.

Some of Bangkok’s famous roads such as Khaosan and Silom will be off-limits to traffic during the Songkran Festival as thousands of revelers come out to engage in water fights.

Kasikorn Research Center says more than half of Bangkok residents prefer celebrating their Songkran in the capital. So far, some 27 per cent of respondents covered by the research center’s survey say they will head out of Bangkok to visit their hometowns during the Songkran holidays.

The center has estimated that the lower petrol prices should reduce Bangkok travelers’ travel expenses by between 10 to 15 per cent this Songkran.

[Costas2008]

I have already bought my water gun, to be used against my mother in law, when she comes next time and collects all my mango's to sell in the market.

[samsensam]

I have already bought my water gun, to be used against my mother in law, when she comes next time and collects all my mango's to sell in the market.

you should be flattered your mother in law is interested in your mangos

[Bluespunk]

So can we expect more reports on increased household debt soon?

[Suffinator]

Bangkok residents are expected to spend about Bt22.8 billion during the upcoming Songkran Festival, according to the Kasikorn Research Center.

Which is a good job considering those hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists won't be spending a dime.

[upena]

K-Research is a partner with the Tourism Authority of Thailand so expect more "Good News" for tourism and investments.

[JOC]

I have already bought my water gun, to be used against my mother in law, when she comes next time and collects all my mango's to sell in the market.

you should be flattered your mother in law is interested in your mangos

To sell in the market??

[JOC]

It adds that Bangkok residents will likely pay Bt11.5 billion for foods and beverages, Bt4.6 billion for shopping, and Bt3.1billion for accommodation/travel expenses, and Bt3.1 billion for merit making during Songkran 2015.

3.1 billion to the gangsters wearing saffron robes??

No wonder they don't want a public audit of their riches................

[GaryAdriaenssens]

Isn't it wonderful they can spend so much on useless things!!? Maybe a part of that money could be better spend on one of the things that needs real attention which is education..... Just a thought but let the Thai people live in their funny dreamworld this crazy month before the reality of work and study life sets in again in May!!!

[soalbundy]

Isn't it wonderful they can spend so much on useless things!!? Maybe a part of that money could be better spend on one of the things that needs real attention which is education..... Just a thought but let the Thai people live in their funny dreamworld this crazy month before the reality of work and study life sets in again in May!!!

They will be spending a lot on funerals.

[ratcatcher]

"....Thais will spend, a lot."

Ah, the power of plastic. Debts up, water storage down.

[rubl]

Interesting juggling with numbers.

It may be me, but I think the report suggests that we may have more people remaining in Bangkok and on average spent about the same amount of money, but with more people the total amount will be 3.6% higher. Pessimists might even conclude that on average people spent less.

[LuckyLew]

they will spend it on booze, smokes and police bribes so they do not get arrested for drunk driving

me foreigner ... me stay home

[fred Kubasa]

There are no formulas to comeup with the "guesstimates" shown here but, at the end of Songkran" some official will declare that not only did the spending orgy meet but it exceeded target. Nonsense when you deduct the huge costs - extra police/overtime for all agencies/more EMS services/hospital emergency rooms/

jailing offenders/damaged property and no price on the number badly injured or killed.

Is there a word beyond STUPID" ?

[rubl]

they will spend it on booze, smokes and police bribes so they do not get arrested for drunk driving

me foreigner ... me stay home

I'll sit along the road with a few Thai chaps of similar age, one a policeman, another motorcy driver. We'll have a beer and food and a good time.

[Eddy B]

Next month the usual headlines "Drought in Thailand, we have no water for growing rice". Cry me a river.....................

[steven100]

yawn ......

[Fat Haggis]

Christ that sounds like the entire population are heading to Bangkok for 2 days!!

22.8 billion in 2 days? What does that work out per head of adults who live in Bangkok?

[ttthailand]

So what is that ... 20,000 baht a person over a few days. Not much really considering most farang will drop that + ++ . News here is a waste of time

[Thongkorn]

Well i will not be spending a baht. I use to like Songkran , but not any more for the last few years its got more and more violent, to many drunks and to many angry people, It use to start about 10 am and finish about 6/7 pm , not now it goes on for days none stop. You move and try and get away from it, and you find your self in the middle of another Songkran just starting up < why isn't Songkran all the same every start and finish the same time. I for one will not miss it.

[balo]

Good let them spend some baht , I will save some by staying inside and enjoying my "summer break" .

[WhizBang]

There are no formulas to comeup with the "guesstimates" shown here but, at the end of Songkran" some official will declare that not only did the spending orgy meet but it exceeded target. Nonsense when you deduct the huge costs - extra police/overtime for all agencies/more EMS services/hospital emergency rooms/

jailing offenders/damaged property and no price on the number badly injured or killed.

Is there a word beyond STUPID" ?

I think the word 'Thainess' pretty much has it covered.

[retsdon]

Sonkran = a blanket license for ill-mannered drunks to bully people. I lost any tolerance I ever had for it a long time ago. Having a huge bucket of water thrown at the front wheel of my motorcycle while travelling at 120kph on a freeway by an idiot who sprint/staggered across two lanes to chuck it was the final straw. It's a miracle both of us weren't killed.

[NongKhaiKid]

Well i will not be spending a baht. I use to like Songkran , but not any more for the last few years its got more and more violent, to many drunks and to many angry people, It use to start about 10 am and finish about 6/7 pm , not now it goes on for days none stop. You move and try and get away from it, and you find your self in the middle of another Songkran just starting up < why isn't Songkran all the same every start and finish the same time. I for one will not miss it.

Places like Pattaya have an extra day to try and squeeze every last baht they can out of an event that's already played out.

Nothing to do with culture and tradition except the money making part.

[SiSePuede419]

That's a lot of bottles of rotgut Lao Khao and 59 Baht squirtguns!

[arthurwait]

You'd think with all that money the owners could afford a new curtain for the car parking space.