The Latest Breaking News from Thai New Year

Thailand on Thursday officially began celebrating Songkran, or Thai New Year, with locals and foreigners alike flocking to major sites and splashing water on each other nationwide after a three-year suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Court of Justice is warning motorists to refrain from drinking before getting behind the wheel during the Songkran festival, as the number of accidents caused by drunk driving over the Thai New Year holidays has increased over the past two years, said spokesman Sorawit Limparangsi.

The Covid-19 pandemic has turned Songkran into a quiet festival for three consecutive years. But during the Thai New Year, people can still catch vibrant Songkran moments in films, which are now available to stream. Here are our picks.

CentralWorld invites everyone to celebrate Thai New Year in a way that help preserves Thai culture during "CentralWorld Songkran Festival 2022" until Sunday.

The Songkran celebrations not only mark the Thai New Year, but also may help determine the economic health of the country this year amid a prolonged global oil price hike and new fears about an Omicron infection surge.

Holidaycations to splash out on this Thai New Year.

The Ministry of Public Health is aiming to administer a third booster shot to 70% of the country's elderly population ahead of the Thai New Year holiday next month, as they face a greater risk of infection and death from the coronavirus.

The Thai New Year festival of Songkran is recognised as the most important annual event in the country, similar to Golden Week in China and Japan when a torrent of people are expected to hit the road for a long holiday.