Thai Health Promotion Foundation, often better known by its Thai initials สสส (SorSorSor), selected the 15 locations for its campaign ‘Songkran the Thai Way: Fun, Safe, No Violence’.
At the launch of the campaign, in front of the Samyan Mitrtown shopping mall in Bangkok yesterday (Apr 1), it was announced that a ‘no alcohol Songkran’ was likely to reduce risk factors of injury during the holidays by 90.42%.
As part of the launch, organisers of ‘No L’ (no alcohol) events at the selected locations provided cultural displays to highlight the events being organised.
Representing the ‘Songkran No L Phuket 2024’ event was Narong Phromjit, from the organiser Limelight Phuket shopping centre.
Mr Narong pointed out that this was the 10th year the event ‘Songkran No L Phuket 2024’ was being held, with a special focus this year on Thai ‘Soft Power’.
“The Songkran festival has been designated by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage,” Mr Narong said.
“Phuket is a tourist province and last year about 30,000 people came to the Songkran No L event,” he said.
“The goal of the event is for people to have fun and to provide a safe place for youngsters, citizens and tourists, and to continuing Thai traditions while campaigning for the target group to refrain from drinking alcohol during the festival in order to reduce injury statistics and deaths from accidents resulting from drunk driving during the Songkran holidays,” he added.
Mr Narong noted that the ‘Songkran No L Phuket 2024’ event has four rules of participation: 1. No alcohol, kratom or drunk people; 2. No cigarettes, e-cigarettes or marijuana; 3. No powder or paint; and 4. No weapons or fighting allowed.
“This year, we have received good support from the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation [PPAO] and the Phuket Tourist Association together with local government organisations, and the private sector and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and the Office of the Network of Alcohol Abstinence Organisations [which also operates un ThaiHealth],” Mr Narong said.
“We invite people to join the festivities, which includes wearing traditional Thai costumes and pouring water on Buddha images, pouring a water blessings over your head, and splashing as the utmost fun,” he added.
The event will include live music concerts by popular Thai bands such as Paradox, as well as DJs playing music into the night and a host of other attractions, Mr Narong noted.
The festivities on Dibuk Rd will get underway from 4pm to 10pm on On Saturday, Apr 13, he added.
More details of the event can be found at the official Facebook page: Songkran No Alcohol