Songkran
- Songkran News
New Songkran ‘replacement’ holiday added on July 27
The Thai government has declared July 27 the first of, what will probably be, substitute Songkran holidays. This year’s Songkran holiday was postponed as the April 13 Thai New Year holiday, and the days around it, were right in the middle of Thailand’s outbreak of Covid-19 and subsequent ‘lockdowns’. Songkran celebrates the start of Thailand’s wet season. The first replacement…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Wednesday, June 24
July Songkran plans pushed back to later in the year People won’t be throwing or spraying water on each other next month. Celebrations for Thai New Year – Songkran – were rumoured to be moved from April to July, but it now looks like it’s going to be pushed back later this year. The annual celebrations could even be separated to…
- Tourism News
July Songkran plans pushed back to later in the year
People won’t be throwing or spraying water on each other next month. Celebrations for Thailand’s New Year – Songkran – were rumoured to be moved from April to July, but a 3 day soaking wet holiday might not happen until later this year. The large water celebrations could even be separated to be on non-consecutive days, according to a source in…
- Thailand News
July 4-7 long weekend holiday
Be forewarned: the Buddhist holidays of Asarna Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent fall on July 4 & 5 this year, but because they fall on a weekend, the days before and after will also become holidays making it a 4 day long weekend. So the usual alcohol ban may be extended for the full 4 days but nothing official has…
- Environment News
Bangkok temple develops hygienic face mask from recycled plastics
During the nationwide closure of temples and festivities during the Songkran holiday this week, some are taking the opportunity to improve hygienic practices. To help protect members of the temple and the community from contracting Coronavirus, the Abbot from Chak Daeng temple, on the banks of the Chao Phraya just south of Bangkok, has been busy crafting recycled plastics into face…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Monday, April 13
New virus cases nationwide fall to 28 Health officials confirmed 28 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus in the country today as the trend continues down. Today’s total brings the reported country total to 2,579 since the outbreak began in January. There were also 2 additional deaths announced today, bringing the national tally to 40. Today’s new infections are fewer…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand cannot lower its guard in the battle against Covid-19
Yesterday, Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration says, “despite the declining numbers of the Covid-19 infections, the Kingdom cannot lower its guard because our neighbouring countries are still at high risk.” “The decreased number of new infections is good news for the traditional Thai New Year (Songkran), though high numbers of new cases recorded in…
- Northern Thailand News
4 teenagers violate the order not to celebrate Songkran outside
Under the emergency decree that has been announced by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, it has been confirmed that Songkran (the traditional Thai new year festival) is officially postponed this year to lessen the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak. However, 4 teenagers defying the emergency decree was arrested in Roi Et province, far north-eastern Thailand, after live broadcasting their water wars. The…
- Covid-19 News
Health ministry begs children to ‘save parents’ and avoid Songkran visits
Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year festival, is typically a week long celebration including a mass exodus to the provinces as dutiful children visit their homes bringing best wishes to their elders. This year’s celebrations have been postponed indefinitely to prevent that exodus, for fear of spreading the Covid-19 coronavirus to the provinces and among the elderly. Now the the Department…
- Covid-19 News
Officials concerned about people heading ‘up country’ after being put off work
Bangkok’s next door provinces are imposing increased preventative measures to deal with Thailand’s current surge of Covid-19 cases by closing a range of retail business, starting today. The closures are set to add a wave of newly-unemployed who may decide to head home for the annual Songkran early, and that’s a problem. The provinces that have followed the lead from…
- Covid-19 News
33 new cases announced for Thailand, total rises to 147
Yesterday’s announcement of 32 new cases of Covid-19 coronavirus, the most on any single day in Thailand, has been surpassed today with the announcement of 33 new cases for Monday. The total number of infections in Thailand is now 147 people. 36 patients have recovered, 108 are still in hospital and one person has died. Seventeen of the new cases…
- Covid-19 News
Tourism officials ponder moving Songkran to July, boosting domestic tourism
Joint ventures with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) are trying to solve worst case scenarios of losing over 1 trillion baht in revenue and 10 million in inbound guests to celebrate Songkran. The TAT has set a optimistic target of 172 million domestic trips this year, generating 1.13 trillion baht in revenue.…
- Phuket News
Patong cancels all official Songkran events
“This year, Patong will not hold any official Songkran festival celebration events at all.” All official Songkran events in Phuket’s Patong municipality, including the “Songkran on the Beach” play zone and the DJ dance party have been cancelled. Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup made the announcement on her social media channels yesterday. Patong is the traditional epicentre for Songkran festivities in…
- Events
March 2020, the Thai month of cancellations
March will end up as the long month of cancellations. With Songkran looming, one of the busiest times for travel in Thailand, and increasingly one of the biggest annual tourist magnets to the Kingdom, cancelling Songkran would take Thailand into unchartered tourism and economic territory. Fears, real or imagined, are forcing companies and governments to assess their risks associated with…
- Songkran News
Chon Buri’s Bangsaen district cancels all official Songkran activities
Saen Suk Municipality in Chon Buri province, near Pattaya, has cancelled the Wan Lai (Songkran) Festival activities scheduled for April 16-17. Narongchai Khunpluem, President of Saen Suk Municipality, made the announcement today via social media. Khunpluem says the cancellation is due to concern about the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus and the government’s general instruction to avoid mass gatherings. The…
- Songkran News
Songkran around Thailand – where can you get wet in 2020?
PLEASE NOTE: Some of these scheduled activities may change or be altered due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Songkran Festival is an event where an all-out water battle and ancient traditions somehow blend in annual celebration. It’s unlike anything else in the world. And it’s wet. Venturing out onto Thailand’s streets on April 13 is an open invitation to have a…
- Songkran News
Thai government ponders nine day Songkran holiday
With the impact of the coronavirus cutting deep into the Thai tourism industry, and tourism accounting for around 18% of the Thai GDP, the government are eyeing some additional public holidays to boost spending and activity. The Thai PM announced yesterday that the government is considering adding two public holidays to the annual Songkran festival. Songkran, the Thai new year…
- Songkran News
Deputy PM wants rural road safety push for Songkran
With Songkran and its infamous “7 dangerous days” rapidly approaching, the Interior Ministry has asked local authorities and administrations for effective measures to prevent road incidents. Last year, 386 people were killed on Thai roads during the deadly week . Road incidents kill some 22,000 in Thailand every year, or about 65 deaths a day. But the Songkran festival’s “7…
- Thai Life
Thailand, the land of festivals
Fireworks, colour, smoke, noise, costumes, absence of occupational health and safety. That could describe any of the many, many festivals held around Thailand each year. Different regions, different festivals. Some reflect an ancient culture and a rich history, other make absolutely no sense but we enjoy them anyway. We’ll go through some of the main ones and a few you’ll…
- Events
Make it a date – Thai public holidays in 2020
Public holiday dates are out for 2020 with a few waiting to be announced. But it might be the start of you working out your holidays to Tahiti and Acapulco for the next year. The new holidays commemorate Coronation Day (held in May this year), and the birthdays of the King and the new Queen. The birthdays for King Bhumibol…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Central Thailand hit by Songkran storms
Over 300 houses have been damaged after thunderstorms lashed seven districts of Kamphaeng Phet province, in central west Thailand, at about 8pm last night. Officials have visited the districts this morning and found 25 damaged houses in six tambon of Muang district. The storms also damaged 162 houses in seven tambon of Phran Kratai district and 92 more damaged in…
- Songkran News
Day Three: Songkran road deaths show a dramatic drop
There has been 1,665 traffic accidents, with 174 deaths and 1,728 people injured in the first three days of the Songkran ‘seven days of danger’ (Thursday, Friday, Saturday). This equates to a significant drop from the 2018 road toll and lower even than Thailand’s average daily road deaths throughout the year. According to the WHO an average 66 people die…
- Songkran News
The ‘Fun Police’ crackdown on posting ‘lewd’ Songkran pics and video
The Thai police have become Thailand’s fun police today as they warn Songkran revellers against posting photos of scantily clad people, or ‘invitations’ to consume alcohol’… pretty much everything you see during the madness of Songkran festivities in the main tourist hot spots. “No photos, video clips of live broadcasts of nudity, lewd acts or inviting consumption of alcohol should…
- Phuket News
Patong transformer short-out escalates into massive shop fire – VIDEO
PHOTOS & VIDEO: Phuket Traffic Office People were hastily cleared from around Banana Walk and Patong’s Beach Road was closed off as emergency crews battled to bring a growing fire under control. What started as a simple electrical short in a roadside transformer, quickly escalated into an inferno engulfing nearby roadside shops and nearby buildings. https://www.facebook.com/tim.long.9235199/videos/10156093448431516/ Firefighters and emergency responders…
- Songkran News
Thailand swelters under the Songkran sun
Temperatures are soaring around the country, right on time, as the Songkran holiday kicks in. People are heading home for the annual Thai New Year break whilst the tourists are flooding into the main hot spots for the water fights. The annual celebration is meant to provide a ritual washing of Buddha images, ‘gentle’ splashing of family and friends and…
- Northern Thailand News
Passengers injured as bus overturns in Si Saket
PHOTOS: ร่วมด้วยช่วยกัน / ธนบุรี 12 No deaths have been reported following a bus overturning in Si Saket in eastern Thailand today. The bus, travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani, overturned on Rattana Buri – Sisaket Road in Si Saket, east of Bangkok on the Cambodian border. No deaths were reported but there were some injuries in the incident.
- Songkran News
Thai authorities target 10% fewer Songkran accidents
PHOTO: Daily News The chief of the communications ministry says that the Thai authorities are aiming for a 10% reduction in accidents on selected and particularly dangerous roads. They also want to see a 5% reduction in the country’s total number of road accidents. They have identified 111 roads around the country deemed as high risk for road fatalities that will…
- Songkran News
400,000 take to the skies during Songkran
The Airports Department expects over 400,000 passengers to pass through the nation’s 25 airports during the Songkran holiday break. Ampawan Wannako, the director-general of the Airports Department, says passenger projections for the holidays was 404,778 for the period from April 11 (tomorrow) to April 17, or an average of 57,224 passengers per day. This projection is up on last year’s…
- Songkran News
No foam parties for Songkran
by Suriya Patathayo, Jessada Chantharak Songkran foam parties are being banned this year in the interest of public safety. The announcement today from the national police deputy commissioner Pol General Chalermkiat Srivorakan.Chalermkiat says there had been several deaths and injuries by electrocution at foam parties during previous Songkran festivals. Police have also been instructed to provide security at Songkran celebration…
- Northern Thailand News
Cabinet waives tolls for 8 days over Songkran break
Thailand’s cabinet has decided to waive tolls on the Bangkok-Pattaya and Bangkok-Bang Pa-in-Bang Phli motorways starting April 10 until midnight on April 18. This takes in the main Songkran break between April 12 – 14 and the annual ‘seven days of danger’. A Cabinet spokesperson say that a large number of people are expected to leave Bangkok for the provinces…
