Bangkok's Songkran Festival Is Not Cancelled This Year But Will Be Much Smaller
The celebration takes place annually from 13 - 15 April.
By Tamara Jayne — 05 Apr 2019, 11:21 AM
Dear travellers, your Songkran might be a little dryer this year if you're heading to Bangkok for the annual water festival
Reuters reported that Songkran has been called off at one of the most popular tourist sites, as Thailand prepares for their king's coronation.
Dubbed as the world's biggest water fight, Songkran takes place every year from 13 to 15 April all over Thailand
One of the most popular spots to celebrate the festival is on Khaosan Road, a backpacker district where shops sponsor water guns and water tanks for the public to use.
A business group told Reuters on Wednesday, 3 April, that Khaosan's celebrations were called off in preparation for the upcoming coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn set between 4 and 6 May.
"The authorities are preparing for the coronation and we are located right in the middle of areas involved so if we organise the usual Songkran festival it could be chaotic," said chairman of the Khaosan Road Business Association, Piyabutr Jiwaramonaikun.
According to Reuters, officials explained that Khaosan Road will be getting revamped for the coronation, which will include repainting of roads and buildings, rebuilding pavements, and reorganising electrical lines.
Businesses on Khaosan Road usually sponsor water refills and coloured powders to tourists, but will not be doing so this year
However, shops will remain open and tourists can continue to celebrate in the area.
"Tourists and Thais can still conduct water fight in the area, but local businesses will not be organising anything official," Jiwaramonaikun added, according to Reuters.
"There will be fewer people this year for Songkran, but the coronation is a major event for the Thai people and we all must make sacrifices."