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BMA cancels all its Songkran events
BMA cancels all its Songkran events
By The Nation
Published on April 9, 2010
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has cancelled all of its Songkran activities in the wake of intensifying redshirt rallies and the state of emergency.
"All festivities including religious rituals will not be held this year," Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra announced yesterday.
The BMA initially planned to organise the procession of a sacred Buddha statue, hold a Miss Songkran beauty contest, prepare festivities at Santi Chai Prakarn Park and conduct many more events.
All these activities will no longer take place despite the fact that the Songkran festival is one of the biggest events in Thailand.
However, operators on touristcrowded Khao San Road have vowed to keep the festive mood alive there.
"The Maha Songkran celebration at Khao San will run from April 12 to April 15 as scheduled," Khao San Operators Association president Surat Wongchansilp said yesterday.
Continue reading here: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/04/09/national/BMA-cancels-all-its-Songkran-events-30126743.html
Comments
Many foreigners would prefer Songkran to be banned anyway
Another point that the BMA and TAT (Tourist Authority of Thailand) appear to ignore is that the annual Songkran Festival actually deters many foreign tourists from visiting Thailand. Moreover, many foreign residents living in Thailand choose to leave Thailand during the festivities as they do not enjoy being soaked with buckets of (sometimes) dirty water and the very real dangers of being on the roads during Songkran. Every year many hundreds of people are killed or maimed due to drink driving or dangerous behavior during the Songkran Water Festival, and many foreigners would prefer a complete ban on the event. Others have wisely suggested the water throwing be limited to public parks.
Why cancel?
I wonder how the BMA justify canceling the religious rituals and festivities when they are located so far from the red shirt demonstrations. By contrast, Khao San Road is much closer to the site of the red shirt protests and yet the activities will proceed, albeit with tighter security.
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