Thailand gears up for World Songkran Festival

Preparations are underway for the World Songkran Festival, with a meeting set to take place next week, as per a statement given by Thapanee Kiatphaibool, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), on February 8. The meeting, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Interior, the private sector, and other relevant agencies, will focus on outlining activity plans, locations, and budgets for the festival.

The goal of the World Songkran Festival, according to Thapanee, is to generate income exceeding that of the pre-pandemic period of 2019. Ratchadamnoen Road, Siam Square, ICONSIAM, Asiatique, and the Chao Phraya River are intended to be the highlight destinations in Bangkok.

Additionally, other favoured tourist locations in provinces such as Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Hat Yai plan to feature a midnight Songkran theme to appeal to foreign tourists, particularly those from Malaysia. Nevertheless, the World Songkran Festival will be held in all 76 provinces across Thailand and 50 districts in Bangkok, Thapanee confirmed, reported The Pattaya News.

“The World Songkran Festival is another big tourism event after the Chinese New Year Celebration with an estimated 177,000 Chinese tourists visiting during the long holidays. However, more than 28,000 Chinese tourists visited Thailand on February 5, 2024, which was a similar number compared to 2019.”

The governor of TAT’s ambition is to boost the number of tourists to 100,000 individuals per day and by the conclusion of 2024, the projected total number of tourists would reach 36.5 million. At this time, the reviving foreign tourist market is being hailed as a boon for Thailand’s tourism and domestic tourism markets.

However, a growing trend among Thai people shows a preference for short-distance travel by personal vehicles. Thapanee advised the private sector to adapt to this trend by incorporating a mixed-use concept into their businesses with a unique identity. For instance, a hotel could offer a co-working space and restaurant, especially for delivery services.