Students from Pattaya School No. 8 perform
traditional Thai dance during the press conference announcing this
year’s Songkran Festival.
Warunya Thongrod
For Songkran’s April 19 finale, Beach Road will be closed from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m. with water trucks available in front of Amari Orchid
Resort & Tower, Soi 4-5, the Tropicana Hotel, Central Road intersection,
the Hard Rock Hotel, Soi 9, Soi 12, Soi 13/1 and finally, Soi
Pattayaland 1.
The main attraction will be at the Beach and Central roads intersection
around the fountain where tourists can enjoy the beauty and capture
images for memories.
At an April 4 press conference announcing the final “Wan Lai” plans,
however, most officials took pains to point out that Pattaya’s week-long
water fight has perverted the tradition of Songkran.
“There are many (other) activities on Songkran, including making merit,
offering alms, releasing animals into the wild, pouring water on Lord
Buddha, and paying respects to elders,” City Councilman Rattanachai
Sutidechanai said. “All these traditions represent Thailand. Therefore,
we must maintain our manners and civility by playing within the norms of
decency, showing foreigners the correct method to enjoy Songkran that
has been passed on for generations.”
“During past Songkrans, there have been broadcasts showing people
dressing inappropriately and exhibiting unwanted behavior. This has
destroyed the beautiful image of Thai culture, causing foreigners to
have the wrong perception about the country and resulting in a bad image
shown to the world,” said Mana Yaprakhum, president of Pattaya Cultural
Council.
“I urge youths to dress decently and enjoy Songkran to maintain our
beautiful tradition because currently, the power of social media has
allowed people to share pictures, images and videos rapidly. Hence, bad
behavior and dressing inappropriately can influence the image of a
culture and ours has been largely deviated due to the mix of other
cultures … and this will be the image remembered by foreigners.”
Yet even with all the public hand-wringing, the same public officials
couldn’t constrain their enthusiasm over the money Songkran brings to
Pattaya.
“This is a festival that attracts tourists worldwide and raises a large
income for our country. Therefore, we must act as good hosts by
welcoming tourists,” Rattanachai said.
Passalin Saewarat, deputy director of the Tourism Authority of
Thailand’s Pattaya office, noted that the city is the top Songkran
choice for tourists, beating out Bangkok’s Khao San Road and Khumuang
Road in Chiang Mai. Thus, she said, TAT has advertised Pattaya’s “Wan
Lai” festival on websites and at international road shows.
