With splash parties banned, Thais celebrate Songkran with characters on chat app

With traditional Songkran water fights banned in Thailand due to Covid-19, Thais are now “celebrating” the holiday with avatars on a chat app. The ONESIAM x Zepeto Metaverse Songkran Festival 2022 is a collaboration between property giant Siam Piwat, and the Zepeto chat app. Would-be Songkran revellers who are customers of Siam Piwat malls can download Zepeto.

Users can then create 3D avatars and pick out traditional Thai costumes, sunglasses and water guns. Next, users can “splash” other Songkran celebrators using Zepeto around the world. From April 13 to 19, users can also meet avatars of popular entertainers in Thailand, and enjoy Songkran beach parties.

With splash parties banned, and Thai officials calling for strongly enforced Covid-19 restrictions, celebrating Songkran in the digital world might just be the way to go. The Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Ministry of Interior says events such as concerts, parties, and ceremonies, need local authorities’ permission before they can commence. He added that alcohol, public water splashing, and playing with powder are strictly prohibited during any of these organised events.

Customers who visit Siam Paragon to download the ONESIAM SuperApp and Zepeto app will also be handed gift vouchers from leading stores in the mall. Siam Piwat owns Siam Paragon, Siam Centre and Siam Discovery shopping malls while Zepeto is a 3D avatar chat app made by South Korea’s Naver Z Corp, the owner of Line. Zepeto has roughly 300 million users.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand