Songkran in Chiang Mai to be ‘more special’ this year
The 10-day Songkran f estival i n Chiang Mai is expected to attract millions of tourists and generate 20 billion baht in revenue.
Chiang Mai deputy governor Weerapong Rithrod and Chiang Mai’s mayor Assanee Buranupakorn released a statement about this year’s festival, saying that it will take place from April 7-17 in the northern province to help preserve the local Lanna culture and celebrate the city’s 728th anniversary.
The deputy governor said this year’s Songkran festival in Chiang Mai will be more special than previous ones because Unesco has just included Songkran on its “intangible cultural heritage” list and the province has also been selected as one of the five provinces with the most iconic cultures and traditions by the Ministry of Culture.
The events organised during the festival will be a blend of cultural preservation and contemporary Songkran entertainment activities, said Mr Weerapong.
Mr Assanee said apart from preserving cultures and traditions, the festival is also aimed at boosting the province’s economy and tourism. He expects millions of Thai and foreign tourists will visit the province during the festival.
Meanwhile, Paisarn Sukjarean, president of the Thai Hotels Association’s Upper Northern Chapter, said foreign visitors have started booking hotel rooms in Chiang Mai while not many Thai visitors have done so, which may be due to the air pollution in the province.
However, he expects them to start making reservations as Songkran draws closer. He believes Thais will fill three-to-four-star and smaller hotels and is confident that 60% of the hotel rooms will be occupied. Provincial police are preparing 1,500 officers to ensure the safety of people in the Chiang Mai city area, while 3,000 officers will take care of the entire province.