PUBLISHED : 20 Feb 2024 at 17:22
The cabinet on Tuesday approved funding of about 105 million baht to organise the Maha Songkran World Water Festival in Bangkok and five provinces in April.
Deputy government spokeswoman Kenika Ounjit said the world festival in the capital, Bangkok, would run from April 11-15, and be held on Ratchadamnoen Avenue and adjacent Sanam Luang park.
She gave no details of the other festivities other than the activities there would reflect the individual identities of the five provinces, which she also did not name.
The project is aimed at promoting Thai traditions and culture and to celebrate the annual Songkran festival, which Unesco listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in December last year.
According to Ms Kenika, the Bangkok festival will include Songkran floats, traditional performances and other features of Thai “soft power”.
She said there would be cultural shows, concerts featuring Thai and international artists, musical fountain shows, water tunnels, alms-giving, the bathing of Buddha images and traditional Thai New Year displays of respect for the elderly.
The government expects the festival to attract 200,000 visitors and put an additional 3.12 billion baht into circulation.