The sight of a bewildered Chinese tourist in full Songkran regalia — floral shirt and water gun — has put the government on the defensive, as it seeks to clarify that the main water-splashing festival will take place for three days and not three weeks.
At the heart of the confusion has been an ambitious plan to boost tourism by telling the world that Thailand is celebrating the Maha Songkran World Water Festival from April 1-21.
Many local residents are just as confused as foreign tourists about when and where the party is taking place. Among the latter was a Chinese man who posted a video of himself ready for action outside a Bangkok mall, only to find no one else was celebrating.
He told his tale on the Chinese video-sharing site Douyin and it was then shared by Daka China, a Facebook page featuring stories about China. A Thai translation was provided.
“Who should I celebrate with?” asks the tourist standing outside Terminal 21. “They say it’s being held from April 1-21, but why has it not turned out as expected? I hope there’s an explanation.”
SleeplessBKK, an account on the X platform, shared the video, tagged Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and said it was an embarrassment.
Ms Paetongtarn, in her role as the country’s “soft power” tsarina, was one of the prime movers behind the three-week Songkran idea.
Government spokesman Chai Watcharonke told the Bangkok Post that while the festival lasts from April 1 to 21 across the country, activities are not being held simultaneously in every province.
He said the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has a calendar outlining the celebrations nationwide that will be extended across 21 days, but with the main celebrations being held from April 13-15 as usual in almost every province.
Authorities will improve their communication work and ensure that visitors are provided with accurate information to prevent misunderstandings, he added.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol admitted there had been some misunderstanding about the three-week-long Songkran festival. She said the ministry and responsible agencies would improve public relations and provide a more accurate explanation to foreign tourists who intend to visit the country for the water-splashing festival.
“As for tourists already here in Thailand, please be patient and wait a few more days before you can play with water for Songkran,” she said.
TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool expressed suspicions that the video might have been produced for content-creation purposes, and not out of genuine confusion on the part of the “tourist”.
She said the calendar for the Maha Songkran World Water Festival is widely available on all media platforms, and that it specifies that the water-splashing activities are usually held between April 11 and 15.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the TAT announced on March 12 that the three-week Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2024 would begin on April 1 in the northern province of Chiang Mai and wrap up on April 21 in Chon Buri and Samut Prakan.
The main event from April 12-16, is expected to generate 4.3 million domestic trips and 510,000 foreign tourist visits.