Those planning wild, wet nights on Khaosan Road may have to find another place to get their Songkran on.
The popular backpacker destination may be quiet and dry come mid-April after the local business association announced Monday that it would not host the anything-goes festivities that draw revelers from around the world to the famous backpacker destination.
Piyabut Jiwaramonaikul, president of Khaosan Road Business Association, said it had just grown too tacky to continue. Just kidding – it was the virus.
Will that be the final word? Perhaps. Celebrations there were also called off last year for the pending coronation of King Vajiralongkorn but went ahead unofficially anyway.
2019’s ‘canceled’ Songkran
Last week, Culture Minister Itthipol Khunpluem said his department was deliberating “week by week” whether the major celebrations it oversees for the Thai New Year’s festival – a holiday which generates over THB100 billion in revenues – should be canceled nationwide.
While people await a final verdict on this year’s major wet-and-touchy Songkran festivities, some parts of the country – such as Chonburi’s Bang Saen and Phetchabun province – have already announced limited activities in light of the coronavirus outbreak.
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While officials dither, parts of Thailand move to limit Songkran
