Stories tagged with songkran
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Pattaya cashes in from Songkran
The popular party city of Pattaya, a short journey southeast from Bangkok, has reportedly lined its coffers with more than 500 million baht after its celebrations of the Songkran festival this year. The Tourism Authority of Thailand reports that 500,000 people visited Pattaya during the three day celebration of the Thai New Year.
Pattaya stands as the centre of activity as far as tourism goes in Chonburi Province, and the TAT reports that 2007 recorded an upswing in tourists visiting the province, and that 2008 is shaping up to do even better. TAT says 6.62 million people visited Pattaya and Chonburi last year, an 8 percent increase from 2006.
As TAT figures show an increase in visitors, a marked distinction is coming from hotel owners, to whom it seems numbers are dropping. This is due to the fact that another big trend in Pattaya is hotel construction, spreading patronage out over more properties. Between 700 and 800 hotel rooms are expected to open over the next two years, including chain brands like the Hilton and the Holiday Inn.
Posted by: DaveB on 24 Apr 2008, 19:35 -
No Alcohol campaign not getting through
Thailand currently ranks 5th on the list of countries in the world as far as the number of alcoholics is concerned, and at the recent Songkran Festival, the Thai New Year celebration, messages and campaigns warning citizens about the dangers of mixing alcohol and driving seemed to have fell on deaf ears. For the past couple of years, the Chiang Mai local government has initiated advertising campaigns informing locals and visitors of the number of deaths each year during Songkran directly related to alcohol. This year, the mayor applied designated alcohol free areas in the city where people could celebrate the New Year in a traditional way.
The message did not have the impact that organizers had hoped, as the ‘Enjoyment, Safety, No Alcohol’ campaign manager Teera Watcharapranee attests. She says thre were just as many deaths this year as last, and that road fatalities related to alcohol not only account for 50% of the accidents in Thailand, but it is costing the government as much as 2.8 percent of its gross domestic product every year.
Posted by: DaveB on 23 Apr 2008, 19:34 -
Bangkok’s Songkran clean-up
As the Thai New Year is celebrated at various points around the country on varying days this week, the celebratory spirit of Thailand is in full swing. With Bangkok’s designated days of revel over, now comes the clean-up, which is no small task after the capital city party has ended and the revelers all gone to rest up and recharge after the debauch.
Roads in central Bangkok will get a special scouring from today, as popular areas of the city like Khao San Road, Rambuttri Road, Kraisri Road , Silom Road and the Banglamphu area in general will have extra staff to clear the trash and remnants of white powder left behind. Authorities’ urging to cut the white powder out of the party did not go heeded and a big effort will be required to get rid of the remnants.
[The Silom Road cleanup](http://www.nationmultimedia.com_ will involve 20 trucks armed with high pressure water hoses to clean up the powder, that in the Bangkok area, is traditionally more popular than shooting water.
Posted by: DaveB on 17 Apr 2008, 18:50 -
Pattaya plans its Songkran celebrations
The Songkran Festival, ringing in the Thai New Year, is celebrated all over the country, but some cities emphasize different dates, with Pattaya kicking into high gear for their Songkran from April 18th to the 20th. The water flinging festival reaches its peak of wild partying in Pattaya, with people coming from around the world to party like Caligula with a super-soaker primed for attack.
Pattaya’s City Hall has announced its list of official Songkran activities that will take place over the three-day period. The first event on the list will show visitors the roots of the festival, where offerings will be given to 99 monks and water sprinkled over a statue of the Buddha in Lanpho Naklua Public Park.
For a family fun-fair approach, April 19th will see the park play host to many games and events like climbing of greased poles, sea boxing and a martial arts show. Throughout the three day festival, expect to get soaking wet, as water is flung form buckets, balloons and pistols all day long.
Posted by: DaveB on 15 Apr 2008, 19:00 -
Songkran road toll soars
More than 200 people across Thailand have already lost their lives over the period from Friday through Monday during the Songkran festival.
This year’s water festival has already seen more people killed and injured on the roads than at the same point last year, with 229 dead and over 3,300 injured - around 5.5 per cent up on last year.
Petchabun province had the highest death toll with 11 dead so far, followed by Rayong, and Suphan Buri provinces.
The highest number of accidents was in Chiang Rai province, at 50, followed by Phetchabun province at 42.
Most accidents occurred on village roads and mainly at night with the great percentage of those being alcohol-fueled.
Although the powers-that-be were thinking of imposing a ban on the sale of alcohol over Songkran; in reality, people will just hoard beer and spirits before the event.
The Thai Red Cross has reported that it was running out of blood supplies and needs about 1,500 units of blood daily during this busy time, whereas it only received 973 units on April 12 and 950 units on April 13.
Blood goes to hospitals nationwide from the red cross’s blood banks.
Tourists taking part in the Songkran festivities are advised not to ride motorcycles and take public transport.
Posted by: Andrew on 15 Apr 2008, 17:11 -
Revelers in South warned over Songkran
Authorities have warned residents and tourists in the Thai deep south to remain extra vigilant for terrorist attacks during the Songkran celebrations next week.
Reports have come in from intelligence that suspected separatists have started to transfer weapons in possible preparation to launch an attack. Areas most likely affected are said to be Yaha and Bannang Sata districts in Yala province.
Along with the traditional Thai New Year of Songkran in April is the fourth anniversary of the Krue Se massacre where numerous militants were killed in a mosque by the army.
April 2008 also sees the 60th anniversary of the 1948 Dusongyor riot in Narathiwat (April 28), which is widely cited as the beginning of the southern separatist movement.
An explosion was reported on Monday morning in the Joh Airong district of Narathiwat province causing a blackout. No injuries were reported, however.
Songkran is traditionally celebrated between April 13 to 15 and involves lots of parading and especially water throwing.
Tourists in the area should keep a low profile and celebrate the festival elsewhere in the country if they would like to get involved in the fun.
More on Songkran
Posted by: Andrew on 08 Apr 2008, 12:58 -
Phuket's ‘Seven Days of Danger’
A total of six dead (including two foreigners) and 76 injured on Phuket’s roads during the holiday season was recorded. The ‘seven days of danger' ran from midnight December 28 to midnight on January 4.
The biggest contributor to the accidents was the combination of alcohol and motorcycles.
The road-safety campaign included a complete shakedown of motorists on the island. More than 62,000 were stopped at nine checkpoints on Phuket which were manned by 342 officers. A total of 12,180 motorists were subsequently charged with violations, mostly including driving without a license and failure to wear a helmet.
In addition to driving without a license (which amounted to 4,780 cases), other high-figure violations included driving while not wearing a seatbelt (2,203 cases), riding a motorbike without a helmet (2,052 cases), drunk driving (2,030 cases) and riding an unsafe motorcycle (1,115 cases).
Most accidents occurred at night (78%), and primarily on state highways.
V/Gov Tri said that the police were more prepared this year with more widespread checkpoints than the previous year. Despite this the amount of deaths and accidents were more than double the previous year, where three people died and 32 people were injured during the same period.
The ‘seven days of danger’ is a precursor to the Thai New Year of Songkran in April, when a combination of water, road congestion and alcohol cause a huge amount of accidents throughout Thailand. Foreign visitors are urged to be extra cautious when visiting Thailand during this time.
Posted by: Andrew on 05 Jan 2008, 23:00