Thailand considering month-long Songkran Festival to boost economy

The National Soft Power Development Committee in Thailand is proposing to extend the Songkran Festival for the entire month of April. Traditionally held from April 13-15, the water-splashing festivities are a cornerstone of the celebration.

The committee hopes that by extending the festival and incorporating a range of other cultural events across the country, the festival could be promoted to become one of the world’s leading celebrations.

This move, however, has faced criticism on the grounds of practicality and sustainability. Critics argue that a month-long water splashing event would not only waste massive amounts of water but also escalate road accidents.

According to Paetongtarn Shinawatra, leader of the Pheu Thai Party and chairwoman of the committee, the aim is not to prolong water-splashing for an entire month but to host diverse events nationwide throughout April.

The committee anticipates that this extended festival could generate 35 billion baht for the Thai economy, as stated on Paetongtarn’s Facebook page.

“We will not splash water only for three days but the whole month with events to be held nationwide.”

Songkran Festival activities

Surapong Suebwonglee, vice-chairman of the committee, added that each province usually organises its Songkran festival activities independently. However, with Songkran being recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage item by UNESCO, the committee is proposing a unified celebration across all 77 provinces in Thailand for the full month of April.

The official announcement will be made at UNESCO‘s Intergovernmental Committee meeting for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Botswana.

Surapong clarified that the traditional water-splashing activities will continue respecting the local traditions, while additional cultural events will be organised to promote the country’s soft power. For instance, in Bangkok, the Songkran Festival water-splashing will occur from April 13-15, followed by other cultural events at various city locations like Ratchadamnoen Avenue and Lumpini Park.

The Pheu Thai Party further explained their plans on Facebook, revealing that they aim to metamorphose Songkran into a global event under the theme World Water Festival — The Songkran Phenomenon. They anticipate attracting over 35 million foreign tourists and generating approximately 40 billion baht during the month-long festivities, reported Bangkok Post.

However, there are concerns over security and order during the extended festival. Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang expressed that the police force might not be sufficient to maintain order across all 77 provinces throughout April, although soldiers would be available to assist as necessary.

Meanwhile, Nattavudh Powdthavee, a professor of economics at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, expressed a different viewpoint on his Facebook page. He suggested that the uniqueness of Songkran lies in its brevity. Extending it to a month could potentially diminish its charm and lead to monotony among people.