Last Songkran, I was sitting in the Siam Palace Hotel eating instant noodles out of a Tupperware bowl. This year, things are a bit better, but sadly the Songkran Festival has been cancelled once again.
We've been dealing with a small handful of active COVID-19 cases since just before Christmas, but last week saw a massive spike in reported numbers - the highest numbers in Thailand to date. It is suspected that the new, more highly-transmittable UK variant has entered the country. Coupled with the delayed vaccine rollout, things aren't looking too good here right now.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2098807/thailand-adds-985-covid-cases-monday-new-record
No additional deaths have been reported, though, leaving the current death toll at 97.
We are back to staying inside, though there is no officially-mandated lockdown this time. The streets are nearly empty, and many shops have voluntarily closed. Songkran festivities have once again been cancelled.
Usually Songkran Festival, the traditional Thai New Year and water festival, is a fun and joyful time. People pray for a happy new year, giving water blessings to their elders and ritually washing Buddha statues in scented water. It's become something of a massive city-wide water gun fight in the modern era, and everyone looks forward to Songkran all year.
Like last year, this Songkran is forcing people to stay home. People working in Bangkok are unable to go back to their home provinces (interprovincial travel is more or less restricted with 14-day quarantine mandates upon crossing borders). Water activities are cancelled. You can still go out and about, but for the second year of my time in Thailand, there are no brightly-colored shirts, no water guns, no beautiful floral displays.
I did see a very small Songkran shrine in the local underground station though. This little golden statue, covered in flower petals and with a silver bowl of water sitting in front of it, represents a tiny sliver of the older, very traditional Songkran holiday. I kind of like that.
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| This year, in addition to the holy water, there's also a bottle of alcohol gel. I like that too. It's really indicative of this year. |
We are managing here! Personally, I and my Thai family are safe, healthy, and happy. We are just getting so sick of the virus, and are expectantly awaiting news of Thailand's delayed vaccine program.
Until then, we will keep doing our best - staying safe and smart and keeping healthy!
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| Songkran holy water with flower petals |
For the Thai New Year 2564, I wish you all a happy, peaceful, and healthy year. While we may not have a big Songkran Festival this year, I guarantee that the next time it's allowed, people are going to go absolutely nuts... and I'll be right there with them!
Here's to next year, when hopefully we can all go wild, splashing one another with holy water in celebration of overcoming the pandemic!
Live long and prosper!
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