The Cabinet, during its meeting on 20 February 2024, approved a budget of 104.87 million baht for the project “Maha Songkran World Water Festival,” to be organized in Bangkok and five regions of Thailand from 11 to 15 April 2024.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports, through the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), will carry out this project to preserve the value of Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year, and sustain the inheritance of Thai culture. Another objective is to stimulate Thailand’s tourism and push the country into becoming one of the festival hubs in the world.

The Songkran festival will be held on a grand scale this year, following the inscription of “Songkran in Thailand” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO on 6 December 2023.

In Bangkok, the Maha Songkran World Water Festival will take place along Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue and at Sanam Luang ceremonial ground. The festival will also take place in the North, the central region, the Northeast, the East, and the South, in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Sukhothai, Ratchaburi, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Samut Prakan, Songkhla, Phuket, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pattani, Nong Khai, and Nakhon Phanom, among others.

The target groups include both Thai and international tourists, as well as members of the media from all parts of the world. More than 200,000 tourists are expected to join this festival, which is likely to generate 3,125 million baht during the period.

The festival focuses on 11 sectors of the soft power industry (food, sports, festivals, tourism, music, books, films, gaming, art, design, and fashion). It features Songkran parades from 16 target provinces, art and cultural shows from the five regions, Thai and international musical performances, and musical fountain shows.

The festival also includes the ceremonies of making merit, pouring scented water on the palms of older persons to obtain their blessings, and sprinkling scented water on Buddha images.

Thailand expects that results of this festival will create an “Intellectual Property Festival” to honor events with Thai cultural identity.