BANGKOK, Feb 13 (NNN-Bernama) — Thailand’s Cabinet, today, approved an additional public holiday on April 12 to create a five-day break for this year’s Songkran festival, with the aim to stimulate tourism and private consumption.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said the Cabinet approved the proposal made by the Office of the Cabinet Secretariat to announce April 12 as an additional public holiday.
“This will make a five-day holiday from April 12 to 16. The approval is made with the aim to promote travelling and tourism,” he said after the Cabinet meeting Tuesday.
Srettha said the tourism and sports minister has been assigned to especially promote tourism in secondary cities to ensure that they benefit most from the additional holiday instead of big cities like Phuket, Chiang Mai, or Pattaya which are already popular among tourists.
Songkran is celebrated annually from April 13 to 15, marking the start of the Thai New Year.
April 16 is a public holiday in lieu of April 13 falling on a Saturday.
Songkran is often marked by family reunions, paying respects to elders, ancestors and sacred Buddha images.
The festival is known for its joyous water-throwing activities, lively parades, and colourful displays.
Songkran has gained recognition on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Local media reported that this year, the government will organise World Songkran Festival activities nationwide from April 1 to 21.
The World Songkran Festival aims to promote local Songkran traditions and activities in 76 provinces and 50 districts in Bangkok.
— NNN-BERNAMA