Happy Songkran in advance! The Thai new year, celebrated from 13 to 15 April every year, is marked by energetic water-splashing and huge parties.
But the pandemic isn’t over, even if the situation is more controlled, and the authorities have confirmed that, while Songkran celebrations and practices can go on, certain limits have to be observed. To help you plan your Songkran holiday, we’ve rounded up what’s allowed and what isn’t this year.
What’s allowed:
- Water play, but only if it’s soft sprinkling (in a traditional fashion) and only in organized events or enclosed spaces, not in the public areas. Good old splashing with water guns and the like is not allowed.
- Live music performances and mass gatherings (with no more than 1,000 participants)
- Drinking booze is allowed in restaurants and bars until 23:00.
What’s not allowed:
- Foam parties
- Using chalk and flour for water play
- Selling and consuming alcoholic beverages in organized events
The authorities are also asking the general public to follow basic COVID-preventive measures at all times, such as wearing masks, self-testing (with an ATK test) and social distancing.
Khaosan Road has already announced it won’t be hosting celebrations once again this year due to a high risk of coronavirus infection.