Locals and visiting tourists sprinkle water onto Phra Phutthasihing during the Songkran Festival at Tha Phae Gate, Chiang Mai. (Photo: tatnews.org)Bangkok (VNA) - Massive Songkran festivalwill be held across Thailand in April to further stimulate the resurgenttourism industry, Thai government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri said on March26.
After a three-year hiatus because of impacts of COVID-19pandemic, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects a big bounce fromthis year’s festival due to the faster-than-expectedrecovery in the tourism market and will organise major festivals in fiveregions of the country, Anucha said.
The tourism agency has also launched thefifth phase of its “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” (We Travel Together) scheme tostimulate the industry.
The spoke person affirmed that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-chahas set up guidelines to promote tourism and expressed his hope that thegovernment's tourism stimulus measures will help boost Thailand's tourism.
Songkranis the Thai New Year holiday. It is celebrated on April 13 every year, but the holidayextends to April 15.
Thailand’sofficial New Year was on April 13 until 1888, when it was switched to April 1.This date was changed to January 1 in 1940.
Thefestival is famous for public water fights as well as its cleansing ritualsthat mark the end of one year and the fresh beginning of another./.
