STORY: Thailand rides on Songkran festival to boost soft power
SHOOTING TIME: April 15, 2024
DATELINE: April 16, 2024
LENGTH: 00:04:06
LOCATION: Bangkok
CATEGORY: CULTURE/ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Songkran festival celebrations in Ayutthaya
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Thai): Thai citizen
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WANG SHAOHONG, Chinese tourist
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Thai): ITTHIPHAN KHAOLAMAI, Manager of Ayutthaya Elephant Palace
5. various of the Songkran festival celebrations in Bangkok
6. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): MA HUIZHEN, Thai-Chinese singer
7. various of the Songkran festival celebrations in Bangkok

STORYLINE:

Getting drenched in water fights, splashing water with elephants, or enjoying cultural performances, revelers embrace Songkran festivities throughout April across Thailand as the country rides on its traditional new year to boost "soft power."
   
Songkran, usually held from April 13 to 15 in Thailand, is also celebrated in Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.
   
Known as the Buddhist new year, the holiday is traditionally marked by visiting family members and pouring scented water over Buddha statues. Throwing water symbolizes washing away bad luck from the previous year.
   
In 2023, the UNESCO added Songkran to its list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The Thai government then announced to transform it into a month-long global water festival to attract international tourists.
   
Beyond its famed three-day water fights, Songkran, with its unique cultural traditions, offers visitors a plethora of celebrations across the country. Music performances, grand Songkran goddess parades, folk plays are held in popular destinations, allowing visitors to dive in the festival's cultural charm.
   
In Ayutthaya, the ancient capital in central Thailand, the festivities kicked off with a jubilant spectacle of elephants frolicking in water. Colorfully adorned elephants, guided by their mahouts, danced joyfully and sprayed water on delighted visitors.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Thai): Thai citizen
"I like playing with elephants and playing with water guns. I want to spend a whole day here."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WANG SHAOHONG, Chinese tourist
"The elephant is the national animal of Thailand, it's the treasure of the country, just like the panda in China."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Thai): ITTHIPHAN KHAOLAMAI, Manager of Ayutthaya Elephant Palace
"Elephants here are happy when they hear music. They feel happier when they play with water. You can notice that they suck up water and throw water by themselves without orders from the mahouts. We let the elephants take turns to splash water and dance. They can rest every half hour. We aim to make everyone have fun and enjoy the harmony between humans and elephants."
   
International visitors are soaked in the festive mood across the Southeast Asian country. In Bangkok, Silom Road stands out as one of the liveliest spots for Songkran festivities.
   
To bring the Songkran festival to the world, the Thai government has launched multilingual versions of Songkran songs.

Ma Huizhen, a Thai-Chinese singer, has performed the song's Chinese version.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): MA HUIZHEN, Thai-Chinese singer
"This is the first Songkran after UNESCO declared it a cultural heritage. Creating new Songkran songs in different languages will help foreign friends understand the festival better."

Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, Minister of Tourism and Sports, said since Songkran has won UNESCO recognition, it's the best opportunity to utilize Songkran-themed activities to attract global tourists and stimulate the economy.
   
The tourism body predicted Songkran this year to attract more than 500,000 foreign tourists and generate more than 24 billion baht (655 million U.S. dollars) in revenue.
   
According to the tourism body, from Jan. 1 to April 9 this year, Thailand welcomed over 10 million foreign tourists, with Chinese tourists leading the influx, exceeding 1.92 million.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Bangkok.
(XHTV)