Thai Government to release “guidelines� for safely celebrating Songkran by mid-month

Thai Government officials, a day after announcing that Songkran, Thailand’s biggest annual holiday and The Thai New Year, would take place this year, stated this afternoon, March 4th, 2021, that they would be placing in effect guidelines and measures to safely celebrate the festival during Covid-19.


General Natthapon Nakpanich of the National Security Council spoke to the press about Songkran and stated that Prime Minister Prayut Chan O’Cha had ordered the government, which includes the Department of Public Health and the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration Center, to come up with guidelines and regulations to ensure the event could be safely held and not potentially spread the Covid-19 coronavirus.

The measures and regulations will be discussed next week by the various agencies, according to Natthapon, which would then release clear guidelines for any event organizers. Events could be organized by both cities and private venues but must meet Covid-19 precautions and standards.


Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture through Minister Itthipol Khunplume stated that the focus on the event should be “traditional cultural heritage events, religious ceremonies, and bonding with family during the Thai New Year” and not “wild water fights and booze-soaked parties.”


The event is going to be allowed to take place to boost the domestic economy and due to the improved situation around Covid-19 in the country overall, according to the Thai Government.


Pattaya City has not decided if they will throw an event at this point, although Ramayana water park has already announced a series of concerts, notes The Pattaya News.

Thai Government to release "guidelines" for safely celebrating Songkran by mid-month, focus to be on "traditional and cultural" events - The Pattaya News

Their vaccination campaign hasn't even started, the major source of regional contagion is its nearest neighbour and is falling into anarchy, and borders elsewhere remain as porous as they ever were yet they are to embark on the greatest annual internal migration and congregation, of and by, its people.

They should have cancelled until after the majority received vaccination.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Having experienced both the traditional and respectful side of Songkran, and the tourist free for all that masquerades as Thai new year, it would be appropriate to restore it to the values of reverence and respect originally intended.
The downside of course, is the mass migration of workers getting drunk, and then returning home. More chaos will ensue as die hards cling to the contemporary iteration of Songkran.