BANGKOK — More than 3.1 million people poured onto the capital’s streets for the Songkran water festival from April 10 to 14, according to official data released by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, as the Thai New Year continues to solidify its reputation as one of the world’s premier travel events.

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Siam Square emerged as the city’s most popular festive hub, drawing nearly 1.1 million participants. The iconic Silom Road followed with over 650,000 revellers, while the riverside luxury destination ICONSIAM attracted approximately 600,000 attendees for its “THAICONIC” celebrations. Other major hotspots included Maharaj Pier and the traditional backpacker enclave of Khao San Road, where foreign tourists and Thais alike splashed through the streets in the annual water-soaked farewell to the old year.

In the Silom business district, the Bang Rak District Office reported a record-breaking surge in attendance. Total visitors reached 652,974 over the three-day peak period, more than doubling last year’s figure of 250,000. Crowds reached their zenith on the final day of the holiday, with over 252,000 people joining the street-wide water fights that transformed the financial district into a massive aquatic playground.

Songkran in Silom grew from a local event into Bangkok’s most accessible party hub after the BTS and MRT opened. It later became the BMA’s official celebration zone, with full road closures. Today it’s drawing over 100,000 people a day. #สงกรานต์2569 pic.twitter.com/XJLBrVSXF0

— ฿คຖgk๐k-฿๐y – หนุ่มบางกอก 🇹🇭 (@Bangkokboy17) April 13, 2026

Amid the joyous chaos, city officials launched a “Green Songkran” sustainability initiative, inviting revellers to trade plastic water guns for recycled fuel. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration encouraged participants to “exchange plastic water guns for oil,” an effort to promote eco-friendly celebrations. Collected plastics are being processed into Naphtha, a versatile liquid hydrocarbon, to be used as a renewable energy source. Eight collection points across the city have been established and will remain open until April 19, 2026.

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The festival’s growing global appeal was underscored by Culture Minister Sabida Thaiseth, who revealed that Thailand has been ranked as the world’s top destination for April 2026 by Big7 Travel, a UK-based online travel media outlet. Projections for the 2026 Songkran festival estimate at least 6.5 million participants nationwide, including both Thais and foreigners, generating no less than 30 billion baht in economic circulation. With record crowds and growing international recognition, the water-soaked celebration shows no signs of losing its momentum as Thailand’s most exuberant cultural export.

-Thailand News (TN)