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.
Tehran will open a direct communication channel with Washington to report alleged breaches of the ceasefire memorandum of understanding, while insisti...
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Ho...
Search and rescue teams from several countries have rescued a 44-year-old security guard who survived for more than a week beneath the ruins of a coll...
Russia is facing widening fuel shortages across multiple regions after sustained Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries and fuel depots disrupted domes...
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has formally apologised on behalf of the British state for its role in the historical forced adoption of babies in Engl...
Tehran will open a direct communication channel with Washington to report alleged breaches of the ceasefire memorandum of understanding, while insisting the Strait of Hormuz remains under Iranian control.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Search and rescue teams from several countries have rescued a 44-year-old security guard who survived for more than a week beneath the ruins of a collapsed shopping centre in Venezuela, offering a rare moment of hope amid an earthquake disaster that has claimed thousands of lives.
Russia is facing widening fuel shortages across multiple regions after sustained Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries and fuel depots disrupted domestic oil processing and distribution networks, according to reports from affected areas and official statements.
A Russian couple climbed to the top of the Empire State Building and unfurled a banner urging world peace before, in an apparent elaborate marriage proposal that ended with their arrests.
Iranian and U.S. negotiating teams were due in Doha this week, but Iran said on Monday no meeting had been scheduled as weekend missile fire from both sides tested the interim ceasefire to end the four-month-old war.
Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran mediated by Qatar in Doha have concluded, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi has said.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mexico ended their 40-year wait for a World Cup knockout win, while Erling Haaland sent Norway through and Kylian Mbappé fired France into the last 16.
The closely guarded wedding of pop superstar Taylor Swift and famed NFL player Travis Kelce is speculated to take place in New York this week, with multiple media outlets and city officials pointing to Madison Square Garden as the venue.
Britain said on Tuesday (30 June) it could intervene in Paramount Skydance Corp’s proposed $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, potentially delaying one of the largest media mergers in recent years despite approvals from the United States, China and several other major markets.
Science does not usually have much to do with K-pop. But a postgraduate student in southern China has found a way to bring the two together, and the result is now permanently written into the scientific record.
The wife and children of Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo were among around 1,700 people who died when two earthquakes struck northern Venezuela last week.
Manhattan prosecutors have moved to drop a third-degree rape charge against movie producer Harvey Weinstein after his accuser said she no longer wished to testify. The decision ended what could have been a fourth New York trial in the long-running sexual assault case.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment