The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, is gearing up for the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 — the flagship event of Thailand’s New Year celebrations and a centrepiece of the Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025 and the Thailand Summer Festivals’ Grand Festivity campaign.
Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham, Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports, said: “Songkran is more than a celebration — it’s a proud symbol of Thai identity and soft power. With this year’s festival, we aim to share our cultural richness with the world while encouraging travellers to explore every corner of Thailand, from major cities to hidden gems.”
Taking place from 11–15 April at Sanam Luang in Bangkok, the festival marks a bold step in positioning Thailand as one of the world’s top 10 global festival destinations. It builds on the international recognition of ‘Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festival’ as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and presents a reimagined experience designed to captivate both local and global audiences.
Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham (centre-right) and TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool (centre-left), joined by TAT executives, extend a festive invitation to celebrate the upcoming Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 at a press conference in Bangkok. The event underscores Thailand’s growing profile as a world-class festival destination.
A standout feature of this year’s celebration is the Maha Songkran Parade, featuring eight themed processions that reflect Thailand’s cultural identity, creativity, and soft power. On 12 April at 17.00 Hrs., the parade will move from Democracy Monument along Ratchadamnoen Avenue to Sanam Luang. On 13 April, a second parade will circle Sanam Luang, followed by static displays of the decorated floats at the venue through 15 April.
Beyond the parades, Sanam Luang will come alive with a multi-zone festival experience, including:
- Five regional Songkran zones showcasing distinct traditions from across Thailand
- “5 Must Do in Thailand” experiences highlighting key cultural activities
- A Thai temple fair zone featuring a haunted house, open-air cinema, Ferris wheel, and sand pagoda building
- Traditional bathing of the Buddha image and water-pouring rituals for elders
- A water play zone with a giant spill bucket, music-synchronised fountain shows, water station (for a refill for those playing Songkran), and EDM sets by top DJs
- Over 100 booths offering food, crafts, and regional specialities from all five regions
Festivalgoers can also look forward to nightly performances on the main stage, including traditional shows, contemporary acts, and live concerts from some of Thailand’s most popular artists, such as Bodyslam, Polycat, Jeff Satur, The Toys, 4EVE, Joey Boy, Paradox, Ink Waruntorn, and Carabao, among many others.
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said: “Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 captures the spirit of Thailand — joyful, welcoming, and full of creative energy. This year’s programme is packed with firsts and favourites, designed to inspire wonder while upholding our heritage and ensuring a safe, memorable experience for all.”
TAT is also enhancing the visitor experience with the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 web application, which provides real-time updates, zone maps, and performance schedules. In line with its commitment to sustainable tourism, the event will feature “GCYOU-TURN,” a plastic recycling and upcycling initiative that will help manage festival waste responsibly.
For safety and convenience, the Tourist Police Bureau will provide 24-hour support in eight languages, alongside the Thailand Tourist Police mobile app, which integrates an SOS button, GPS location sharing, and direct links to national emergency services.
Nationwide, the “Yen Tua La Maha Songkran” series will extend the celebrations to communities across Thailand, with events running throughout April in provinces such as Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Lampang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nong Khai, and Ayutthaya, among others. These regional festivals showcase local heritage while promoting tourism in Hidden-Gem cities. In addition, private sector events including ICONSIAM’s Maha Songkran, S2O Songkran Music Festival, and GCircuit Songkran 2025 will amplify the festive atmosphere in Bangkok and beyond. For a full list of events, visit: Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025.
TAT projects that Songkran 2025 will generate over 26.5 billion Baht in tourism revenue during 12–16 April, marking an 8% increase year-on-year. This includes 476,000 international arrivals contributing 7.324 billion Baht, and more than 4.4 million domestic visits generating 19.24 billion Baht.
