Crowds gathered to celebrate Songkran festival, Thailand’s most prominent cultural event. (Tourism Authority of Thailand Newsroom)
On April 17, Bangkok authorities set out an ambitious plan to elevate the city’s Songkran or the Thai new year celebrations into a globally recognised festival, with major improvements planned for infrastructure, urban management and environmental sustainability. Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the initiative aims to ensure the Thai capital can safely host even larger crowds in the years ahead while maintaining the festive atmosphere associated with the traditional new year celebration.
Under the plan, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration intends to upgrade pavements and pedestrian routes in key areas of the city to improve mobility and reduce congestion during the water festival. The city government is also preparing broader measures to enhance public space management, including stricter regulation of street vendors, improved drainage infrastructure, more efficient waste collection and the installation of additional CCTV cameras at strategic locations.
Central Bangkok recorded the highest visitor turnout during the celebrations. According to metropolitan spokesperson Ekwaranyu Amrapala, Siam Square welcomed the largest crowd, attracting 1,535,638 visitors.
Across the country, tourism authorities reported strong performance throughout the holiday period. Tourism revenue linked to the celebrations is expected to surpass 30.35 billion Thai baht (820 million USD), representing a six per cent increase compared with the previous year.
The Songkran Festival between April 11 and 15 generated significant travel activity nationwide, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Tourism revenue linked to the celebrations is expected to surpass 30.35 billion baht (944,894 US dollar), representing a 6% increase compared with the previous year.
The figures reflect sustained confidence among both domestic and international travellers, further strengthening Songkran’s reputation as one of Thailand’s most prominent cultural events on the global tourism calendar.
About The Author
