The Latest Breaking News from Songkran

Chiang Mai tourism operators are anxious, hoping the province's unsafe levels of PM2.5 air particle pollution subsides later this month as the Songkran holiday draws near.

There were 1,917 traffic accidents, which claimed 278 lives and injured 1,869 people, during the seven days of the government's road safety campaign for the Songkran festival.

Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Ministry of Public Health and other state agencies to prepare for a surge in Covid-19 infections when people return to work after the long holiday on Monday.

This year's Songkran holidays might have been a bit livelier with return of at least some fanfare and a trickle of foreign tourists, but one thing certainly has continued to put a damper on the festive mood -- the government's grim, if not misguided, obsession with counting road accidents and…

For the third year running we have experienced muted Songkran celebrations, and I for one won't complain if it remains that way for a while. Of course there have been a few naughty tourists who have broken the water-throwing protocols, but maybe the heat got to them.

Once again, this year's Songkran celebration won't see any water splashing and foam parties. But this doesn't mean we will be far from having fun.

The start of Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year, also marks a celebration of family as most people take advantage of the long holiday to return home.

Twenty-six people were killed and 238 injured in 237 accidents on Monday, the first of the "seven deadly days" of the Songkran festival, with speeding the biggest single cause of accidents, interior deputy permanent secretary Nirat Pongsithithavorn said on Tuesday.

Spending sentiment during the upcoming Songkran festival is expected to remain tepid, mainly because of a sharp rise in oil prices ignited by the Russia-Ukraine war and relatively high Covid-19 infections in the country.

Local tourism spending during the Songkran festival this year is forecast to remain lower than before the pandemic, generating around 11 billion baht.

Local tourism spending during the Songkran festival this year is forecast to remain lower than before the Covid-19 pandemic, generating around 11 billion baht as people are allowed to travel but water splashing is banned.