153 Million Baht for Songkran Festival to Attract 800,000 Tourists

[reader]

From Pattaya News

The Thai Cabinet has approved 153 million baht to host the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 at Sanam Luang in Bangkok, aiming to draw 800,000 tourists and boost the economy by 3.2 billion baht.

On March 3rd, Mr. Jirayu Huangsap, spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, announced that the Cabinet had approved a mid-year emergency budget of 153.03 million baht, as proposed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The funds will be allocated for organizing the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025, set to take place at Sanam Luang from April 11th to 25th.

The budget is divided into 93.26 million baht for activities at Sanam Luang, 48 million baht for parades, and 11.77 million baht for advertising and public relations. This is in addition to the 40-million-baht budget already allocated to TAT for 2025, Mr. Jirayu said.

https://thepattayanews.com/2025/03/04/thai-government-approves-153-million-baht-for-songkran-festival-to-attract-800000-tourists/

[khaolakguy]

This looks as if the Annual Budget allocated to TOT is 40 million. However with only one month to go to Songran their budget has been increased  by 153 million to cover just that one event. Doesn't seem proportional or to allow much planning time for the spend.

I am probably missing something.

[Ruthrieston]

The only thing I want to miss is the water throwing nonsense that makes Pattaya a seriously dangerous and extremely annoying place from 12th to 19th April every year. Stupid drunk farang throwing buckets of water at people riding their motorbikes to work and knocking them flying off their bikes under moving cars. The death rate during Songkran is appalling. I hide in my condo until 16th and then flee to Bangkok until 20th, although if Bangkok is to carry on until 25th that is going to be a disaster.