National—
At 6:00 PM, on December 7th, 2023, Mr. Srettha Thavisin, the Thai Prime Minister, presided over the Songkran celebration of being officially recognised as UNESCO’s intangible humanity’s cultural heritage at the city square, Bangkok City Hall.
The Thai Prime Minister was welcomed with a long drum parade and crowds taking photos with him. The Songkran parade had Ms. Anntonia Porsild, Miss Songkran of the Year, and other celebrities to represent Songkran as the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Ms. Anntonia Porsild is a Danish-Thai model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Supranational 2019 and Miss Universe Thailand 2023.
Srettha opened the celebration with a speech regarding the Songkran traditions from generation to generation with promotional measures to raise awareness and value of Thai traditions as humanity’s intangible cultural heritage.
Furthermore, there will be no discrimination against races, languages, genders, and religions to participate in the Songkran festival in Thailand. It will also bring people across the world to Thailand which will generate income and stimulate the Thai economy with a good national image, said Srettha.
Srettha publicly asserted that the Thai government will move forward on seriously representing “Soft Power” in the Songkran festival throughout April of 2024, with other festivals apart from playing water such as music, food, art, and culture. He said that nobody who didn’t want to get hit with water would not be, without getting into specifics, while saying the festival would focus on traditions and culture versus wild water fights.
