The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced plans to organize Songkran celebrations across the country. The agency now anticipates an 18 billion baht increase in revenue from both Thai and foreign tourists traveling during the festival.
A total of 3.8 million trips are expected to be made by Thai people during the Thai New Year, plus 300,000 trips by foreign tourists.
The Songkran festival, also known as the water festival, is the biggest and most important of Thailand’s annual festivals. The world-famous Songkran, or Thai New Year, is a time when family comes first, respect is paid to seniors, and people visit the temples to take part in traditional ceremonies.
Highlight events for this year’s festival include the Yen Tua La Maha Songkran event and the International Amazing Splash 2023 event in Bangkok, which will be taking place at Soi Chulalongkorn 5, at Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park, near the National Stadium, on 13-15 April. The TAT will also be holding Water Festival 2023 events in several locations across the country on 13-16 April.
Several temples in Bangkok, such as Wat Pho, Wat Arun, and Wat Rakhang, will be holding traditional activities for the Thai New Year, alongside major events at Tha Maharaj, Iconsiam shopping mall, and Asiatique.
Many provinces will also organize their own key events, such as one at the Old House of Chiang Mai, Ban Chiang World Heritage Cultural Square in Udon Thani, the Andamanda water park in Phuket, and a traditional Songkran event in Phra Pradaeng district of Samut Prakan, which will be taking place on 21-23 April.
Throughout the entire festival, the TAT will be working closely with the Tourist Police Bureau to enforce safety measures to boost confidence among both domestic and international visitors.