With the Thai New Year Water Festival (Songkran) rapidly approaching, there are calls for a return to the traditional way of celebrating. This involves gentle dousing of water as opposed to the all-out water fights which take place nowadays. Of course, it’s highly unlikely that younger people – Thai and farang – will pay much heed to the calls, but it does highlight the fact that authorities are aware of how the celebrations can get out of hand. Every year hundreds of people are killed during the Songkran holidays, most as a result of drink-driving related accidents.
As part of the campaign, the Culture Ministry have recruited popular girl-band Girly Berry (pictured) to reinforce the message of a return to traditional Thai values. The choice of Girly Berry to front the campaign has raised more than a few eyebrows as the girls are renowned for the sexy costumes worn during their shows. The band is encouraging young girls and women not to wear skimpy shorts and tops which can become see-through when soaked with water. With See Through being the name of one of Girly Berry’s albums they probably know what they’re talking about! Girly Berry are recommending black is the best colour to wear to hide a girl’s modesty during the Songkran water festival.
In Chiang Mai – seen by many as the number one place to experience Songkran in Thailand – local authorities are setting up ‘polite zones’ at various points around the city’s moats. Staffed by Thai and foreign volunteers, it’s hoped that the areas will show more traditional and genteel ways of celebrating compared to the madness that overtakes the rest of the city. Chiang Mai’s moats have been drained and replaced with fresh water and the surrounding pathways have been repaved to accommodate the thousands of revellers who will flock from all parts of Thailand.
In various towns and cities there are bans in place on the high-powered water-jets that are often deliberately aimed at passing motorbikes. Stiff fines are in place for manufacturers and vendors as well as anybody caught using them.
Photo of Girly Berry from th.wikipedia.org
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