April 16, 2024
BANGKOK – The Songkran Festival is not only a key driver for the government to push “soft power” and compete with other nations, but it’s also a golden moment to stimulate Thailand’s short-term economy.
The Thai Chamber of Commerce Economic Forecast Centre predicts spending during Songkran 2024 to exceed 120 billion baht, while the TTB Economic Analysis Centre estimates a staggering 42 billion baht splurge during the same period.
Let’s take a look at the Songkran atmosphere in business hubs like Ratchaprasong, Siam Square, Silom, Sathorn, and Banthat Thong, which host massive Songkran events.
Many brands sponsor these events, featuring both local and international artists, along with popular DJs to attract crowds and boost participation.
The Songkran atmosphere at Ratchaprasong starts at CentralWorld, a bustling area. This year, “Central World Songkran Fest 2024” is being held along with the “Thai Rhythm Songkran Festival 2024”, featuring Thai rhythm collab music, attracting a large crowd of both local and international tourists, with more than 200,000 visitors daily.
As for “Songkran Siam, Pha Khao Ma, Yu Yen Pen Suk” at Siam Square, there are many highlights including a giant slider to provide fun for people young and old.
Wall’s Ice Cream is at Siam Square organising a foam-party zone with a DJ EDM (electronic dance music) to add fun for Thai and foreign tourists.
In Silom, alcoholic-beverage brands have taken over areas for activities, acknowledging their contribution to enhancing the festive atmosphere.
These are part of the free water-splashing zones, while the paid-entry music festivals and major events attract a diverse range of businesses willing to invest heavily to make these events grand and spectacular. Event organisers speak of budgets of up to “hundreds of millions” for each event to ensure the utmost enjoyment.
It’s undeniable that large businesses investing in Songkran events stimulate spending and revitalise the Thai economy. Smaller businesses also benefit, as the large crowds attending these events often lack water-spraying equipment, including water itself. This has led to a surge in sales of water guns, with many stores offering promotions like free water refills with gun purchases.
Some Thai and foreign tourists, spending long hours playing with water, inevitably get hungry. This has led to numerous street vendors setting up carts and offering simple menus to cater to customers’ needs. You’ll find vendors selling fish balls, grilled pork, various grilled dishes, fried chicken shops, egg fried rice shops, phat kaphrao shops, and many more.
Water isn’t just for quenching thirst during Songkran in Bangkok. People use it for splashing and spraying, leading to frequent refills and turning water into a highly sold commodity. Prices vary based on the size of the water guns, larger ones are priced at around 20 baht and smaller ones at 10 baht, for example.
Thai and foreign tourists alike spend money during this event, ranging from small to large expenditures, which benefits not only small-scale vendors but also big brands.
Managing waste becomes a crucial concern at every major festival venue, but because of limited trash bins and capacities, it often falls short of accommodating the amount of waste generated. This becomes an additional burden for workers tasked with collecting trash at various points in Bangkok and its trading districts.
Despite the current trend of consumer behaviour focusing on environmental conservation and reducing waste, Songkran may still pose a challenge in terms of waste management. It’s a time that requires preparation from those involved to handle future instances.