Traditionally, each year Patong becomes the epicentre for Songkran festivities in Phuket, with the beach resort town hosting a variety of celebration events and live entertainment performances on the beach for Thai residents and foreign tourists alike to enjoy.
This year, festivities were planned to be held each day, and night, from Saturday, April 11 through Wednesday, April 15.
However, Patong Mayor Chalermluck confirmed to The Phuket News yesterday, “This year, Patong will not hold any official Songkran festival celebration events at all.”
“We held a discussion and concluded that we will not hold an official events at all because we want to avoid all risk of COVID-19 spreading, which becomes more likely with large crowds.
“We will make an official announcement soon,” she added.
Among the official events now cancelled are the popular sand sculpting competition, the Miss Songkran beauty pageant, Traditional Thai dance shows, live music performances by Thai stars and the electronic dance music party on the beach.
The large public merit-making events traditionally held at Loma Park in the morning during the Songkran festival holidays have also been cancelled, Mayor Chalermluck confirmed.
Mayor Chalermluck stressed that the municipality cancelling its public events did not mean there was a ban on celebrating Songkran in Patong.
“People still can enjoy their water play on Bangla Rd. We don’t have any authority to ban people playing with water during the festival. They can if they want to,’ she said.
“Please be careful when playing, be polite and safe,” Mayor Chalermluck added.