Pattaya Business Owners Push for Suns Down, Guns Down During Songkran 2025

Thursday, 10 April 2025, 20:13

PATTAYA- As the Songkran Festival approaches this weekend, a group of Pattaya business owners is rallying for support to uphold an unwritten tradition: “Suns Down, Guns Down.” This informal rule calls for businesses to encourage customers to cease water play at sunset, allowing residents and visitors alike to enjoy dinner or move about the city without getting drenched.

With Pattaya expecting a massive influx of tourists for the Thai New Year celebration, local entrepreneurs—particularly those in the hospitality and dining sectors—see this practice as a way to balance the festive chaos with practicality. “Songkran is a fantastic boost for our economy, but not everyone wants to be soaked all day and night,” said a restaurant owner on Beach Road. “After sunset, we’d love for people to come enjoy a meal or head home dry if they choose.”

The proposal has sparked conversations among business owners, with some urging fellow business owners and city officials to promote the custom more formally. They argue it could enhance the experience for tourists and locals who prefer a break from the water fights, while still preserving the festival’s lively spirit during daylight hours. “It’s about respect and options,” another shopkeeper noted. “We’re not stopping the fun or calling for a ban on water play overall—just giving people a chance to wind down and a balance.”

While no official policy exists, and it isn’t a “law” to stop playing water at sunset, proponents hope that working with authorities and widespread buy-in from businesses could make “Suns Down, Guns Down” a recognized part of Pattaya’s Songkran this year.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, sun’s down, guns down was much more widely accepted, notes The Pattaya News. However, since the festival started again in 2023 after several years of Covid related bans on water play, water fights have run 24 hours a day in many areas, with many bars encouraging it by leaving water bins and fill up points all night throughout the festival.
It’s widely accepted that the night of the 18th and 19th, the big days, run all night and business owners calling for suns down, guns down, understand that, but since Songkran runs for almost a week and a half in Pattaya, encouraging the unwritten rule will help reach a balance between those who want to play and those who don’t. Business owners are aware they can’t control every customer with their own water gun, but by removing the ability to refill guns and encouraging customers to stop playing at sunset, it can improve the experience for everyone.