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Stories from Songkran: Vendors, Volunteers, and the Festival Spirit
- Sunset Magazine Thai
- 16 เม.ย.
- ยาว 3 นาที
By Ponlawat Boonthae
Sanam Luang served as one of the main venues for Songkran celebrations from April 11 to 15, 2025, under the banner of the Maha Songkran World Festival 2025. The event ran daily from 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and featured parades, concerts, food stalls, restaurants and a water play zone, offering much-needed relief from the heat.
Several local vendors and event volunteers—including cleaning staff and security personnel—shared their experiences working at the event.
Lamai, a vendor selling sugarcane juice, said there were noticeably more people this year compared to the previous one. She was pleased with her sales and said she plans to return next year. We interviewed her on April 15, the final day of the festival at Sanam Luang.
We also spoke with Chai, a tuk-tuk driver offering rides to tourists around the Sanam Luang area. While he noted an increase in tourists, he said fewer people used his service, likely due to the growing preference for the subway system. Nonetheless, he confirmed that the area was more crowded than in previous years.
Another vendor, Nuannapha, who sold stewed pork leg rice, shared that she was satisfied with her sales and also intends to return next year. She said that as soon as she learned a Songkran event would be held at Sanam Luang, she began preparing early to meet anticipated tourist demand.
Nuan and Bow, cleaning staff with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), agreed that this year’s festivities were larger than in previous years. As the event concluded on April 15, they said all BMA cleaning crews would begin clearing the area immediately, a task expected to take about two days.
We also visited the Songkran celebration on Khaosan Road to hear from local vendors and business owners.
Phen, a vendor providing water refills on Phra Athit Road—near Khaosan—said her sales were lower than expected this year. She attributed the drop to heavier tourist activity on Khaosan Road, which had more organized events and attractions.
The atmosphere on Khaosan Road was especially lively, with crowds enthusiastically splashing water and enjoying the festivities. Vendors lined the streets selling water guns, beverages, and other items, and water refill stations were scattered throughout. Entry and exit points were clearly marked and well-organized.
Pim, another water refill vendor, said that although the tourist turnout was strong, her business underperformed compared to others. She noted that tourists seemed more budget-conscious this year, likely due to the current economic situation.
Similarly, Wichit, a water gun vendor on Khaosan Road, reported a drop in sales. He believed the increase in water gun prices from the previous year contributed to reduced consumer spending.
According to data from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the number of visitors attending Songkran festivities at Silom Road, Sanam Luang, and Khaosan Road from April 12 to 14 was as follows:
Silom Road: 241,537 visitors over the three-day period
Khaosan Road: 333,201 visitors
Sanam Luang: An average of 500,000 visitors per day
The three-day celebration generated an estimated 1.7 billion baht in economic activity. Furthermore, 93.18% of attendees reported high to very high levels of satisfaction. Among vendors and shop owners, 91.31% expressed similar satisfaction. In addition, 91.89% of visitors said they were highly satisfied with the Maha Songkran parade.
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