- Songkran is Thailand's traditional New Year festival marked by water celebrations and family reunions
- This year’s week-long festival saw over 951 accidents and more than 191 deaths reported
- Speeding caused nearly 42% of fatalities, while drunk driving accounted for 27.4% of accidents
Known globally as the "world's largest water fight," the Thai festival of Songkran marks the traditional New Year. Celebrated in mid-April following the rice harvest, the festival is a significant time for family reunions and paying respect to ancestors, elders, and visiting Buddhist temples. This year's week-long celebration, however, has taken a tragic turn, with reports detailing over 951 accidents, hundreds of injuries, and more than 191 deaths.
Every year, the holiday triggers a mass exodus from major cities like Bangkok as millions travel to their home provinces to celebrate with the family. Subsequently, 52 people died in road incidents on the first two days of the celebrations alone. Speeding was the leading cause of fatalities at just under 42 per cent, while drunk driving accounted for 27.4 per cent of accidents, according to a report in the New York Post.
Nicknamed the "seven dangerous days," the death toll during the festival is also driven by "speeding and risky behaviours such as not wearing helmets". Data from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation indicates that the 3:01 pm to 6:00 pm time slot experiences the highest frequency of accidents.
Despite the government's regular reminders, safety campaign initiatives and stricter drunk driving laws, the carnage continues. This year, the Thai holiday is expected to attract around 500,000 international visitors and 30.4 billion baht in revenue ($940 million).
Songkran Festivities
Songkran marks the sun's annual passage into the Aries constellation, which is the first sign of the Zodiac, and represents the traditional start of the new year. The word Songkran itself comes from the Sanskrit word Sankranti, which means astrological passage or transition. Makar Sankranti and Uttarayan -- the harvest festivals in India all share this ancient Sanskrit root.
Water plays a major role in the festival. Symbolically, it washes away the previous year so people can get ready for the next one. But many other Songkran traditions use water as well. People prepare for the new year by cleaning houses, schools, offices, and other public spaces. They're joined by family members who have moved away and returned for the holiday to spend time with loved ones.
