Traditions, rituals, and business of the Thai New Year
Foreigners primarily associate Songkran with lively water fights, crowded streets, loud music, and a festive atmosphere. However, Songkran also is a time to get together, go to temples, and honor the ancestors. One of the most practiced customs among the Buddhist population in Thailand is to pour fragrant water over the hands of parents or elderly family members as a sign of respect and gratitude. The sins and bad luck from the previous year are washed away during this rite, which stands for cleansing and renewal. Colorful parades, traditional music, and cultural events fill the streets throughout the celebration. Traditional Thai attire is worn by both young and old, enhancing the joyful mood. At temples, people build sand pagodas as a symbol of life’s transience and engage in prayers to reflect on their spiritual journey. Another widespread tradition is Merit-making, including donating food to monks and releasing fish or birds.Songkran not only represents the cultural celebration of the Thai New Year but is also an economic opportunity for businesses in various sectors across the country. Many people use this time of the year to travel domestically and abroad. Restaurants, hotels, and transportation services usually operate at near capacity during Songkran. In 2023, the expenditure during the Songkran holiday in Thailand almost reached the pre-pandemic level. Retailers are usually running special promotions for everything from luxury articles to water guns, as well as providing a variety of entertaining water-splashing activities throughout the majority of retail complexes. In 2023, luxury goods were the items accounting for the highest average spending among Thais on Songkran holiday-associated items and activities.
The dangerous days
Unfortunately, Songkran is also the season when life insurance claims from water festival car accident deaths in Thailand are at their highest. Thais living and working in big cities often use the extended holidays around Songkran to travel back to their home provinces to visit their families. This leads to crowded trains and heavy traffic jams on major roads. Road accidents during this time are mostly caused by intoxicated driving, which was also the leading case of traffic rule violations during the first five days of Songkran in 2023. Thailand already has one of the highest rates of traffic fatalities throughout the year worldwide, but this sad reality is historically even worse during Thai New Year celebrations. While the death toll was relatively low during the COVID-19 pandemic due to cancellations of festivities throughout the country, the number of deaths by road accidents during Songkran in Thailand increased again over the last few years.Therefore, while Songkran is a joyous cultural celebration deeply rooted in Thai Buddhist tradition, the festival has also highlighted a fundamental issue with the Thai administration: the need to enhance road safety in the country – not only during Songkran but throughout the whole year.
