Thailand – The National Road Safety Center has rolled out stricter regulations for the 2025 Songkran festival, focusing on stopping alcohol-related incidents and creating safer water-play zones across Thailand, including Pattaya.
Announced ahead of the traditional Thai New Year celebrations from April 13–15, the measures aim to reduce the high rate of accidents and injuries.
Crackdown on Alcohol: One of the major regulations is stricter alcohol control to combat drunk driving, a leading cause of Songkran’s grim accident toll. Nationwide, over 50,000 officers are manning 1,737 checkpoints to catch drivers with blood alcohol levels above 50 mg%, who face up to one year in jail and fines of 5,000–20,000 baht. For minors under 20, even 20 mg% triggers investigations into alcohol sources, with vendors risking similar penalties.
In tourist hotspots like Pattaya, alcohol-free water-play zones are allegedly being enforced to prevent booze-fueled chaos. Pattaya’s Wan Lai festival on April 19, an extension of Songkran, bans alcohol in public spaces and vehicles along Beach Road. Alcohol sales are restricted to specific hours (11 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5 p.m.–midnight), with zero tolerance for sales to minors or in sensitive areas like temples, says the safety center. Despite calls from advocacy groups for a total ban, cited in a 2024 survey where 81% of people surveyed allegedly supported prohibition, economic pressures have kept sales alive but tightly regulated.
Safer Water-Play Zones: To manage the festival’s iconic water fights, authorities have designated specific areas for splashing, such as Pattaya’s Beach Road and Bangkok’s Silom and Khao San Roads, to contain crowds and reduce risks. Pattaya will close parts of Beach Road from 3 p.m. to midnight on April 19, allowing safe water battles and parades. High-pressure water guns, which can cause injuries, are banned.
Enhanced security measures include over 400 officials in Pattaya for crowd control, AI-powered CCTV in major cities, and one-way entrances at packed venues to prevent overcrowding. The Tourist Police, reachable via hotline 1155, are deploying volunteers in Pattaya and Phuket to guide tourists, reminding everyone of rules like avoiding splashing monks and using clean water.
TPN media notes that critics online had mixed reactions, with many claiming enforcement of these rules would be lacking. Police and government officials, however, have said enforcement would be a top priority.
