Rising living and fuel costs are dampening spending during Thailand’s Songkran festival, traditionally one of the country’s busiest holiday periods, as consumers and vendors scale back celebrations.
The annual festival, marking the Thai New Year, is known for large-scale water fights rooted in ancient rituals symbolising cleansing, renewal and good fortune.
It is also a major driver of domestic travel and tourism, drawing millions of people from across the country and abroad each year.
However, this year, businesses report weaker demand amid mounting economic pressures.
At Sampeng Market in Bangkok’s Chinatown, shop owners say sales of water guns - a staple of Songkran festivities - have fallen sharply compared with previous years.
“Our sales are down a lot. Profit is lower and we are stocking less,” said shop owner Saran Keavvichai.
“Fuel is expensive, many things are expensive. Merchants are afraid to invest,” Keavvichai concluded.
Vendors say higher costs are making both traders and customers more cautious, with some reducing inventory as demand softens.
Fuel prices have risen sharply in recent weeks following the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - a critical global energy route through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
Restrictions on tanker traffic and heightened security risks have pushed up global oil prices, feeding into higher transport and living costs in import-dependent economies such as Thailand.
Songkran is typically one of Thailand’s biggest spending periods, generating billions in economic activity. In 2025, the festival was expected to generate more than 130 billion baht (around $3.5 billion), driven by tourism, retail and travel spending.
The three-day holiday period usually sees millions of people travel to their hometowns, boosting spending nationwide. This year, however, some consumers say rising transport costs are limiting travel plans.
“Transportation costs are high, travelling is difficult,” said shopper Yuparat Kheowsakhu.
“It’s probably not possible to visit other towns during Songkran,” he added.
Surveys suggest overall spending will decline this year, as households cut back on discretionary expenses and prioritise essential costs.
Economists say the slowdown reflects broader cost-of-living pressures, as higher fuel prices and inflation weigh on consumer confidence during what is normally a peak period for Thailand’s economy.
Georgia and Armenia have resumed talks on their 225-kilometre border after years of limited progress, with disputes over historical boundaries, far...
China has extended the suspension of its additional 24 per cent tariff on U.S. goods for another two months, while keeping a 10 per cent levy in pl...
Russia and Ukraine are set to return to Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for a fourth round of U.S.-brokered peace talks, with European participation, security...
The gunman who allegedly killed six people in Poland’s unprecedented mass shooting in central Kraków on Saturday has died in hospital, police said early Monday. The attacker had demonstrated advanced military-style marksmanship skills, according to a spokesperson for the shooting club he attended.
Poland has declared two days of national mourning after a gunman opened fire in Kraków's historic main square. Investigators are examining possible far-right influences and the discovery of three bodies at the suspect's home.
Monday marks the second of two days of national mourning in Poland as police bolstered security after six people were killed in a mass shooting in Kraków.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis said it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the Iran-aligned group towards Riyadh on Sunday (8 November), after loud booms were heard in the Saudi capital. The Aramco building was damaged by falling debris.
Azerbaijan is marking the sixth anniversary of Victory Day on Sunday, 8 November, with President Ilham Aliyev visiting the Victory Monument in Khankendi, laying a wreath and paying tribute to servicemen killed during the 44-day Second Garabagh War in 2020.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced that its 2027 Costume Institute exhibition and Met Gala will explore how designers transform everyday clothing and ordinary materials into works of art.
Australia has returned two ancient stone statue heads to China, more than 30 years after they were taken from imperial tombs in central China.
Uzbekistan is launching a new fashion academy in Tashkent to help local clothing manufacturers build their own brands, sharpen design skills and compete in international markets.
Baku is set to host the second “Fly to Baku” Art Weekend from 30 October to 1 November, bringing together Azerbaijani and international artists to explore the Caucasus’ wildlife and cultural heritage, and the need to protect nature.
A rare 67-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton known as “Jodi” has sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby’s in New York, smashing its pre-sale estimate and becoming the second-most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold at auction.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment