Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has invited the public to join Songkran festivities on Silom and Khao San roads from April 12 to 14, while assuring safety measures will be in place across the capital.
He said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has set up comprehensive safety protocols for all Songkran venues throughout the city, including entrance checkpoints and CCTV installations.
In high-traffic areas such as Khao San and Silom, the same measures used last year will be enforced, including one-way entrances with police stationed at gates and checkpoints.
Mr Chadchart also said Khao San Road will be under enhanced surveillance with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). This includes facial recognition and crowd analysis through CCTV to assist in locating missing persons and lost items.
Referencing the recent earthquake on March 28, he noted that this year's Songkran offers Bangkok an opportunity to showcase its preparedness and public safety efforts.
He added that even during the holiday, BMA teams would continue rescue operations at the collapsed State Audit Office building in Chatuchak district.
Bang Rak district chief Pornpan Wattanasin said that Silom Road, from Sala Daeng to Nararom Intersection, will be closed daily from 1-9 pm for the Songkran celebrations during April 12–14.
The closure extends from Rama IV Road to Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Road.
She said street vendors are prohibited from operating on the footpaths, warning them not to trust any claims to the contrary. Violators will face legal action under the 1992 Act on the Maintenance of the Cleanliness and Orderliness of the Country.
Deputy Bangkok governor Sanon Wangsrangboon added that the BMA has designated 196 locations where people can celebrate Songkran.
Highlights include the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 at Sanam Luang and events at Iconsiam, Siam Center and Samyan Mitrtown.
To ensure a safe and enjoyable festival, BMA has issued a "Five-No" policy: no oversized water guns, no alcohol, no revealing clothing, no talcum powder, and no water waste.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra presided over the opening ceremony of King Power Rangnam's Songkran Festival. She encouraged Thais to use the festival as a soft power platform to boost the nation's economic potential.
