Thai health pushes for alcohol-free Songkran celebrations

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation, StopDrink Network (SDN), and other relevant agencies conducted a press conference on Monday to deliberate on the celebration of Songkran in a manner that prioritised enjoyment, safety, and the absence of violence. Pairoj Saonuam, Deputy Manager of Thai Health, emerged as one of the prominent speakers at the event.

Pairoj ardently advocated for the celebration of Songkran in areas that were devoid of alcohol. He emphasised that the presence of alcohol was not a prerequisite for enjoyment. He believed that the festival could be equally enjoyable, if not more, without the inclusion of alcohol.

Data supporting Pairoj’s proposition came from a survey conducted during the Songkran days in the previous year, 2023. The survey reached out to 1,339 individuals, comprising 939 Thai citizens and 400 foreigners, spread across 18 provinces in Thailand. The statistics were highly suggestive of a favourable response to the concept of an alcohol-free Songkran.

The data revealed that 88.90% of the foreigners were satisfied with the idea of organising alcohol-free Songkran events. In the case of the Thai respondents, 75.83% agreed with the concept. Furthermore, 79.23% were in favour of water play in designated areas, 77.74% agreed to control alcohol in designated areas, and 73.16% supported the ban on alcohol sponsors and advertisements by hosts.

When asked about the possible benefits of organising alcohol-free Songkran events, the respondents were overwhelmingly positive. A whopping 90.42% agreed that it would result in a more secure festival environment. Additionally, 89.99% believed it could help reduce the number of road accidents, while 89.67% thought it could mitigate the incidence of street quarrels.

Sexual harassment, a pressing issue in mass gatherings, was also brought up in the survey. Some 85.20% of the respondents believed that an alcohol-free Songkran could help lessen cases of such behaviour. Lastly, 80.30% of the respondents agreed that the absence of alcohol would not negatively impact Thai tourism.

The data gathered from the survey indicates a high level of support for the idea of an alcohol-free Songkran celebration. As Thailand gears up for another round of the traditional festival, it is evident that a significant proportion of the population is ready to embrace a new, safer way of celebrating.