Welcome to Thailand for a safe and joyous Songkran holiday, say officials

[webfact]

Welcome to Thailand for a safe and joyous Songkran holiday, say officials
Thaivisa Reporters


Image: Manager.co.th

BANGKOK:-- Immigration, police, airport authorities, local airline reps and a host of other officials mounted a huge PR show at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday to assure visitors and passengers of a safe and joyous Songkran festival.

Some 200 top brass turned out to announce a host of measures designed to make this year's traditional Thai New Year a great success.



Some 166,000 passengers are expected each day through the holiday period.

A special airport based office to deal with potential problems and a 24-hour hotline number has been set up.

Officials also announced a whole swathe of cultural events from now until the 20th of April to wow visitors and inform them of local traditions.

Measures to reduce waiting times at the airport including faster and easier check-in and speedier passport checks were also promised.


-- 2016-04-08

[NongKhaiKid]

Welcome to Thailand is more than enough and if you take into account what the PM's been saying about foreigners recently even that greeting is a crock .

Only your money is welcome.

Edited April 7, 2016 by NongKhaiKid

[selftaopath]

I feel a real sentiment would be expressed if a sign was posted at the airport/ all entry points stating:

Welcome to Thailand - deposit all your money to the officer; proceed to departure line to exit Thailand. Have a pleasant trip back to your home country. And in small print.... please come again soon when you have more money to give us.

[CelticBhoy]

A safe and joyous Songkhran holiday can only be had if you stay home with your family, in my opinion.

Avoiding travel at all costs is the most important part of this time of year.

[Smiley Face]

And then they get into a taxi and they get their first glimpse of the real Thailand. It all goes downhill from there.

[Usual Suspect]

...& once out of the airport your 'safe & joyous songkran holiday' is in the capable hands of this nation's tour bus drivers..!

[jaltsc]

"Immigration, police, airport authorities, local airline reps and a host of other officials mounted a huge PR show at Suvarnabhumi Airport..."

It would have been more effective if they took to the streets to rid them of drunks whose main goal is to injure anyone who is within sight. However, TIT, and posturing seems to have equal, if not more credibility than actually achieving stated goals.

Edited April 8, 2016 by jaltsc

[Hawk]

Don't all these officials have real jobs to do?

[ChrisY1]

Don't all these officials have real jobs to do?

No-one here has a real job

[BSJ]

The Malarkey just keeps coming! I had to laugh.

[steveyinasia]

"mounted a huge PR show...." Thats about the end of it the...all PR and zero substance.

[kalbo123]

Please leave your water guns at home, dress decent don't drink, but have fun!

[gandalf12]

Songkhran I think is a pain especially in Pattaya were it goes on for something like 9 days. If it is performed in the intended way it is fine but people throwing buckets of water over you and in the faces of motor cycle rider is ridiculous

[shirtless]

Well it will be anything but safe thats a fact these guys spin is crap ,

[Khun Paul]

Enjoy Songkran providing you do

NOT dress in-appropriately

Not dance on the back of pick-ups scantily dressed

Not drink too much and are provocative

In fact just stand and look, do nothing spend your money and be scammed at every corner and go home happy.

COMPLETE BS FROM TAT AND ALL THE PR COMPANIES

[chicowoodduck]

Would bet the family farm it will be a shi*t storm as always.....full of knobs and idiots for days on end....?

Edited April 8, 2016 by chicowoodduck

[WhizBang]

Ok, I am confused. Would that be appropriate, or inappropriate dress for Songkran?

Edited April 8, 2016 by WhizBang

[Rayk]

I can see the headlines now during Songkran.

Tourists robbed in Pattaya

Tourists attacked by ladyboys in Pattaya

Tourists killed in Bangkok

Tourists mugged in Phuket

And so on and so on and so on ......

Edited April 8, 2016 by Rayk

[Dublin]

Very nice indeed, but how many will die over the festive period, what are you doing to prevent the drunk drivers up and down the country, bus drivers working double shifts, etc etc etc.. . oh why do I bother

[mrrizzla]

I can see the headlines now during Songkran.

Tourists robbed in Pattaya

Tourists attacked by ladyboys in Pattaya

Tourists killed in Bangkok

Tourists mugged in Phuket

And so on and so on and so on ......

We need a "suicide by balcony" in there too.

[Thian]

Don't all these officials have real jobs to do?

No-one here has a real job

Playing Candycrush can be seen as the national job.

[Thailand]

Just seen the first episode of Criminal Minds- Beyond borders.

Starts off with three backpackers in Thailand, one murdered two abducted. An FBI team is sent to investigate, on route they refer to Thailand as being one of the world's most dangerous destinations for tourists and throw in a reference to what can only be the Ko Samui murders. Not exactly a TAT production.

And to rub it in the "assisting" police officer is called Thaksin!

[natway09]

Enjoy, BUT STAY OFF THE ROADS & you may be OK

[Rayk]

I can see the headlines now during Songkran.

Tourists robbed in Pattaya

Tourists attacked by ladyboys in Pattaya

Tourists killed in Bangkok

Tourists mugged in Phuket

And so on and so on and so on ......

We need a "suicide by balcony" in there too.

Thanks. How could vi have forgotten the suicide.

[thesetat2013]

I can see the headlines now during Songkran.

Tourists robbed in Pattaya

Tourists attacked by ladyboys in Pattaya

Tourists killed in Bangkok

Tourists mugged in Phuket

And so on and so on and so on ......

We need a "suicide by balcony" in there too.

Thanks. How could vi have forgotten the suicide.

Why do you think to see these headlines in the news? It's old news and happened already within the past month... Im hoping to see something original never reported in Thailand...

Like: Tourists amazed as Thais give them money..

Or:

Songkran reports not a single tourist hot robbed, raped, murdered, disappeared, run over by a dive boat, washed up on shore, fell off his balcony after arguing with his gf and her Thai boyfriend, found Thais amusements safety above standards, found their taxis spotless and drivers helpful and honest. Wait! I'm dreaming and this will never be reported.

[Rayk]

I can see the headlines now during Songkran.

Tourists robbed in Pattaya

Tourists attacked by ladyboys in Pattaya

Tourists killed in Bangkok

Tourists mugged in Phuket

And so on and so on and so on ......

We need a "suicide by balcony" in there too.

Thanks. How could vi have forgotten the suicide.

Why do you think to see these headlines in the news? It's old news and happened already within the past month... Im hoping to see something original never reported in Thailand...

Like: Tourists amazed as Thais give them money..

Or:

Songkran reports not a single tourist hot robbed, raped, murdered, disappeared, run over by a dive boat, washed up on shore, fell off his balcony after arguing with his gf and her Thai boyfriend, found Thais amusements safety above standards, found their taxis spotless and drivers helpful and honest. Wait! I'm dreaming and this will never be reported.

Yes but that would indicate a safe and joyous Songran holiday as the title states which we all know is never going to happen here.

"Wait! I'm dreaming and this will never be reported"

It's not that it will never be reported, it's that it rarely ever occurs

[trainman34014]

Yep; i'll be safe and joyous indoors as always. No need to join the lunatics when the house is well stocked with all the goodies required.

[tukkytuktuk]

When residing or visiting a foreign country it is interesting to find out about its culture, traditions and festivals.

I have learnt a lot from this video. Enjoy! Happy Thai New Year to you all!

This national celebration of the tradition Thai New Year captures the imagination of travellers for both its cultural and fun attributes; the latter being enthusiastic bouts of water splashing between friends and relatives.

Songkran Water Festival (English version)

[tukkytuktuk]

RELEASES TAT announces arrangements for most spectacular grand Songkran celebrations ever

Bangkok, 1 April, 2016 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is announcing details of the 2016’s Songkran celebrations and the special activities including the “Songkran Splendours: The Procession of Three Kingdoms” grand opening ceremony to be held in Bangkok on 10 April, 2016. It is expected that this year’s Songkran celebrations will be the biggest ever staged in the kingdom.

Mr. Visanu Jaroensilp, TAT Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business said, “The grand Songkran celebrations arranged for 2016 will be the biggest to date, as we want to give visitors a true taste of how the Thai New Year festival is celebrated in different parts of the kingdom and how these celebrations have changed over time. The opening ceremony in Bangkok will showcase Thailand’s cultural diversity and the heritage of each region so that Thai and foreign visitors can plan their trips accordingly and choose where in Thailand to celebrate.”

The grand opening ceremony of this year’s Songkran festival; namely, the “Songkran Splendours: The Procession of Three Kingdoms”, will be held on 10 April, from 16.00 – 18.00 Hrs., and will go through some of the most historic parts of Bangkok, starting from the Maha Jesadabordin Royal Pavilion through Ratchadamnoen Avenue to the Nagaraphirom Park on Maharaj Road.

The parades will showcase some of the cultural elements of the unique Maha Songkran processions while telling some of the stories and myths behind the Thai New Year. Spectators will have the chance to learn how the Songkran celebration has changed over the years and from region to region. The Procession of Three Kingdoms will showcase the glory of the Kingdom of Rama III and celebrate wondrous creatures from Thai mythology as depicted on the walls of Wat Pho. The Kingdom of Rama V the Great procession will focus on 13 April, which is known as the Songkran Day in Thailand and celebrate its traditions. Finally the Kingdom of Rama VII procession will showcase how Songkran celebrations have spread around the world.

Following the three-kingdom processions, there will be a colourful parade of Songkran traditions from five regions of Thailand. Representing the North is Lampang’s Salung Luang, where Buddha images are paraded around the streets to bring blessings. From the Northeast is the procession of ‘Dok Mai’ trees, which are made in the grounds of Loei’s temples and decorated brightly with flowers and bells to celebrate Songkran. From the Central Region will be a cultural procession from Ratchaburi that celebrates the ancient culture and traditions of Thailand’s Mon people. The Eastern region’s offering will be a parade of Si Maharaja Rice towers from Chon Buri province, built to propagate the gods at New Year. Finally from the Southern region will be a Nang Dan procession from Nakhon Si Thammarat, which celebrates the three main gods of the Hindu pantheon.

The “Songkran Splendours: The Procession of Three Kingdoms” event will open into the nationwide celebration of Songkran. TAT will be giving its support to stage grand events in several major tourist destinations including Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Kanchanaburi, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Nong Khai, Chon Buri, Khon Kaen, Phuket, Songkhla (Hat Yai), and Surat Thani (Ko Samui).

Mr. Visanu said, “TAT has also launched a campaign to promote Thainess and water saving during this year’s Songkran celebration. We are encouraging both the Thai people and our visitors to join us in upholding the true taste of how Songkran is celebrated traditionally. This includes making merit and listening to temple sermons, purifying or bathing Buddha statues, and pouring water onto the hands of elders to show respect and seek their New Year blessings.

We would also like to urge revellers to wear proper attire or traditional Thai costumes or fabric, and to just sprinkle scented water over each other instead of throwing water aggressively or using high-pressure water guns. We believe this will help engage everyone to collaborate in helping to preserve Thailand’s unique cultural heritage for years to come.”

TAT expects the 2016 Songkran celebration to attract 2.64 million travellers, including 2.14 million Thai (up 2 per cent) and 495,000 foreign travellers (up 26 per cent), and generate 15 billion Baht for the Thai economy, representing a year-on-year increase of 18 per cent.

For Songkran celebrations in other areas of Thailand, please see details at: www.tatnews.org/events/songkran-festival-2016/

Contact Information

International Public Relations Division

Tourism Authority of Thailand

Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48

Fax: +66 (0) 2250 0246

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.tatnews.org

Facebook: TAT Newsroom

Twitter: TAT Newsroom

Instagram: TAT Newsroom

[bobbymack]

Unfortunately the TAT advice will fall on deaf ears and the aggressive water fights will be worse than ever I fear .