Inauguration of the holiday marathon
The government of the Kingdom of Thailand has taken the unprecedented step of announcing the extension of the main national holiday, Songkran, to three weeks. In 2024, the jubilation on the occasion of the Buddhist New Year will last from April 1 to 21.
The decision was the authorities' response to UNESCO's recent recognition of Songkran traditions as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The initiative to include the holiday in the authoritative list was put forward back in 2020 by the administration of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha.
Deep roots and colorful traditions
Every year from April 13 to 15, Thais celebrate the onset of their main holiday, Songkran or Thai New Year. This ancient festival has deep cultural and religious roots.
The holiday represents purification and renewal, symbolizing getting rid of everything negative in the past year. A unique tradition of Songkran is the "water festival" with large-scale street battles when Thais and visitors alike arm themselves with water guns and water hoses.
The belief is that the jets of water will wash away the troubles and misfortunes of the past 12 months, paving the way for happiness and good fortune in the coming year. This festive ritual creates an atmosphere of joy and togetherness throughout the country.
Experts' concerns
However, not everyone shares the Thai authorities' optimism about expanding Songkran to a three-week marathon. A number of analysts compare the situation to the planet's biggest sporting events. In their opinion, if the World Championships and Olympic Games were held every year for a month, they would lose their uniqueness and value.
In addition, there are concerns about the colossal water consumption during the protracted holiday. Three weeks of large-scale "water fights" may lead to irrational use of resources, which will cause dissatisfaction of environmentalists.
Time will tell whether such a large-scale holiday marathon will justify itself in order to promote Thailand's unique traditions on the world stage or will have negative consequences.
Author of the article: Ekaterina Antonova
