Three weeks of Songkran celebrations begin April 1st

Thailand will celebrate this year’s Songkran festival for three weeks nationwide, starting on April 1^st, in the hope that the planned fun-filled activities will develop the traditional water-splashing event into an element of Thailand’s soft power, as well as boosting tourism and the economy, said Chai Wacharonke, the government spokesman, today.

The extended celebrations follow UNESCO’s recent certification of Songkran as part of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage.

Chai said that the Ministry of Culture will organising the activities in coordination with relevant private and public sector agencies in Bangkok’s 50 districts and the other 76 provinces.