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UNESCO-listed celebration to anchor Thailand's Grand Tourism and Sports Year; position the Kingdom among the top 10 global festival destinations
BANGKOK, April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, is preparing for the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 — the headline event of Thailand's New Year celebrations and a key feature of the Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025 and the Thailand Summer Festivals' Grand Festivity campaign.
Mr. Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham, Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports, said: "Songkran is more than a celebration — it's a proud symbol of Thai identity and soft power. With this year's festival, we aim to share our cultural richness with the world while encouraging travellers to explore every corner of Thailand, from major cities to hidden gems."
Taking place from 11–15 April at Sanam Luang, Bangkok, the festival highlights Thailand's global festival ambitions, building on the recent listing of 'Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festival' as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
A key feature is the Maha Songkran Parade, with eight themed processions showcasing Thai creativity and heritage. On 12 April at 17.00 Hrs., the parade travels from Democracy Monument to Sanam Luang. A second procession circles Sanam Luang on 13 April, followed by float displays through 15 April.
Sanam Luang will also host a multi-zone experience featuring:
- Five regional Songkran zones
- "5 Must Do in Thailand" cultural activities
- A Thai fair with a haunted house, Ferris wheel, and sand pagoda building
- Traditional rituals, water play zones, light-and-sound shows, and EDM sets
- Over 100 booths offering food and crafts from across the country
Nightly concerts will feature leading Thai artists including Bodyslam, Polycat, Jeff Satur, The Toys, Joey Boy, and Carabao.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said: "Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 captures the spirit of Thailand — joyful, welcoming, and full of creative energy. This year's programme is packed with firsts and favourites, designed to inspire wonder while upholding our heritage and ensuring a safe, memorable experience for all."
TAT is also rolling out a Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 web app with real-time updates, maps, and performance schedules.
To support sustainable tourism, the event will feature GCYOU-TURN, a plastic recycling and upcycling initiative to help manage waste responsibly.
For safety and convenience, the Tourist Police Bureau will provide 24-hour support in eight languages. The Thailand Tourist Police mobile app includes an SOS button, GPS location sharing, and direct access to emergency services.
Nationwide, the "Yen Tua La Maha Songkran" series will run across April in destinations including Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Lampang, and Ayutthaya, with added support from major private events like S2O, GCircuit, and ICONSIAM's Maha Songkran.
TAT projects 26.5 billion Baht in tourism revenue from 12–16 April, with over 476,000 international arrivals and 4.4 million domestic trips.
UNESCO-listed celebration to anchor Thailand's Grand Tourism and Sports Year; position the Kingdom among the top 10 global festival destinations
BANGKOK, April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, is preparing for the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 — the headline event of Thailand's New Year celebrations and a key feature of the Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025 and the Thailand Summer Festivals' Grand Festivity campaign.
Mr. Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham, Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports, said: "Songkran is more than a celebration — it's a proud symbol of Thai identity and soft power. With this year's festival, we aim to share our cultural richness with the world while encouraging travellers to explore every corner of Thailand, from major cities to hidden gems."
Taking place from 11–15 April at Sanam Luang, Bangkok, the festival highlights Thailand's global festival ambitions, building on the recent listing of 'Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festival' as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
A key feature is the Maha Songkran Parade, with eight themed processions showcasing Thai creativity and heritage. On 12 April at 17.00 Hrs., the parade travels from Democracy Monument to Sanam Luang. A second procession circles Sanam Luang on 13 April, followed by float displays through 15 April.
Sanam Luang will also host a multi-zone experience featuring:
- Five regional Songkran zones
- "5 Must Do in Thailand" cultural activities
- A Thai fair with a haunted house, Ferris wheel, and sand pagoda building
- Traditional rituals, water play zones, light-and-sound shows, and EDM sets
- Over 100 booths offering food and crafts from across the country
Nightly concerts will feature leading Thai artists including Bodyslam, Polycat, Jeff Satur, The Toys, Joey Boy, and Carabao.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said: "Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 captures the spirit of Thailand — joyful, welcoming, and full of creative energy. This year's programme is packed with firsts and favourites, designed to inspire wonder while upholding our heritage and ensuring a safe, memorable experience for all."
TAT is also rolling out a Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 web app with real-time updates, maps, and performance schedules.
To support sustainable tourism, the event will feature GCYOU-TURN, a plastic recycling and upcycling initiative to help manage waste responsibly.
For safety and convenience, the Tourist Police Bureau will provide 24-hour support in eight languages. The Thailand Tourist Police mobile app includes an SOS button, GPS location sharing, and direct access to emergency services.
Nationwide, the "Yen Tua La Maha Songkran" series will run across April in destinations including Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Lampang, and Ayutthaya, with added support from major private events like S2O, GCircuit, and ICONSIAM's Maha Songkran.
TAT projects 26.5 billion Baht in tourism revenue from 12–16 April, with over 476,000 international arrivals and 4.4 million domestic trips.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Thailand's Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2025 Set to Make Global Splash
- CATL opens Middle East's first NING SERVICE Experience Center in Riyadh —currently the largest new energy aftermarket facility outside China.
- The facility offers comprehensive full-lifecycle after-sales support, cultivates local technical talent and accelerates the deployment of advanced electrification and energy storage solutions.
- It also functions as a regional ecosystem hub linking diverse stakeholders and resources to drive industrial synergy and sustainable growth.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 10, 2026, CATL opened the Middle East's first and currently the largest new energy aftermarket facility outside China—the NING SERVICE Experience Center in Riyadh—strengthening its after-sales presence in the Middle East and supporting the region's shift toward cleaner energy systems.
The opening comes as Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East advance ambitious electrification and decarbonization goals under Vision 2030 and similar national initiatives. Taking Saudi Arabia as an example, The Kingdom has set a goal to transition 30% of all vehicles in Riyadh to electric by 2030, as part of a larger strategy to reduce emissions in the capital city by 50%. Sustainability policies are also driving the shift to electric equipment, such as promoting the use of electric forklifts, while encouraging the use of green energy on farms under the Saudi Green Initiative. However, progress is tempered by persistent challenges, including longstanding oil dependency, surging electricity demand, extreme climatic conditions, and limited charging and service infrastructure.
Strategically designed to overcome these obstacles, the Riyadh facility offers comprehensive full-lifecycle after-sales support, cultivates local technical talent and accelerates the deployment of advanced electrification and energy storage solutions.
Covering more than 7,000 square meters, the Riyadh center combines exhibition areas, diagnostics and maintenance zones, refurbishment facilities, training spaces, and a customer lounge. It is designed to serve not only as a localized service hub for the region and a showcase of CATL's system-level capabilities across electric mobility, energy storage, and intelligent electrification, but also as a platform that links diverse resources, fostering industrial synergy across the ecosystem.
A full-lifecycle approach to new energy services
Relying on CATL's deep R&D and extreme manufacturing capabilities, NING SERVICE Experience Center provides customers with full-lifecycle services that encompass battery diagnostics, repair, maintenance, rework, training, recycling, aftermarket logistics and warehousing. Its services span over seven major product categories—from passenger and commercial vehicles to energy storage systems—along with diverse repair scenarios, setting a new benchmark for new energy service delivery in the region.
Leveraging CATL's advanced diagnostics and repair expertise, along with established service processes, the center's comprehensive after-sales services
helps enterprise customers reduce downtime, lower maintenance costs, and extend asset life, providing greater certainty around long-term performance and residual value while reducing long-term ownership costs and delivering more cost-effective and reliable services for end users.
Advancing localized operations and capability building
The Riyadh center serves as a key platform for CATL's localized operations in the Middle East, supporting talent development and long-term local value creation. Through dedicated training facilities, CATL builds after-sales and technical expertise in the new energy sector, contributing to skilled employment and knowledge transfer across the Middle East. Globally, NING SERVICE operates 10 training centers, totalling 2,300 square meters, and has certified more than 9,700 new energy after-sales professionals through partnerships with vocational institutions.
Beyond talent development, CATL is deepening its localization strategy by reinforcing local infrastructure and building ecosystem partnerships. CATL is in discussion with top-tier local industry players—including fuel network operators to rapidly provide green electricity to gas stations and major infrastructure companies to electrify their truck fleets, as well as energy companies to deploy solar-plus-storage solutions.
These initiatives not only bolster CATL's local service capabilities and market confidence, but also by enabling key partners, jointly drive the scaled adoption of comprehensive new energy solutions across the Middle East.
"As a leading energy company in Saudi Arabia, we see tremendous opportunities in energy transformation. For instance, we plan to deploy solar-plus-storage solutions at our gas stations and electrify forklifts to reduce reliance on oil. We look forward to collaborating with top players like CATL to drive this transition forward," said Ahmed Ibrahim，Assistant General Manager For Procurement of Al Drees, a leading provider of petroleum and logistics services in Saudi Arabia.
"The launch of CATL's Riyadh aftermarket flagship underscores our shared commitment to driving the global energy transition. This milestone not only reflects the growing demand for sustainable solutions in Saudi Arabia but also embodies our collective vision for a cleaner, electrified future. As the investor behind the experience centre, we are confident that this partnership will accelerate electrification and strengthen the region's role in advancing the energy transition." said Lin Chaofan, CEO of F4S.
Part of a global network
The Saudi Arabia opening builds on CATL's global service footprint, which includes more than 1,200 professional service stations across 76 countries and 73 spare-parts warehouses worldwide. CATL ranks No. 1 globally in spare parts inventory stocked with 100% genuine parts, with a total warehouse area of more than 370,000 square meters. To date, NING SERVICE has supported more than six million electric vehicles, providing professional after-sales services for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and energy storage customers.
A long-term commitment to the Middle East
Bruce Li, President of Quality System, Aftermarket Business, Battery Management System Department at CATL, said the Riyadh center reflects a strategic, long-term view of the region.
"Our decision to establish this center in Riyadh is not only a commercial choice, but a long-term commitment," Li said. "As the first NING SERVICE Experience Center in the Middle East, it is more than a service facility. It is a new energy aftermarket ecosystem hub that brings together advanced technology, professional training, and industry collaboration—effectively connecting diverse stakeholders and resources to foster deeper synergy and sustainable growth across the region. Starting from here, CATL will continue to expand its after-sales service network across the Middle East, align closely with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, and support the region's energy transition through a reliable, end-to-end service system."
As the Middle East accelerates its shift toward electrification and energy storage adoption, CATL's expanded NING SERVICE presence is poised to deliver the technical reliability and sustained partnerships essential for this transformation.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 10, 2026, CATL opened the Middle East's first and currently the largest new energy aftermarket facility outside China—the NING SERVICE Experience Center in Riyadh—strengthening its after-sales presence in the Middle East and supporting the region's shift toward cleaner energy systems.
The opening comes as Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East advance ambitious electrification and decarbonization goals under Vision 2030 and similar national initiatives. Taking Saudi Arabia as an example, The Kingdom has set a goal to transition 30% of all vehicles in Riyadh to electric by 2030, as part of a larger strategy to reduce emissions in the capital city by 50%. Sustainability policies are also driving the shift to electric equipment, such as promoting the use of electric forklifts, while encouraging the use of green energy on farms under the Saudi Green Initiative. However, progress is tempered by persistent challenges, including longstanding oil dependency, surging electricity demand, extreme climatic conditions, and limited charging and service infrastructure.
Strategically designed to overcome these obstacles, the Riyadh facility offers comprehensive full-lifecycle after-sales support, cultivates local technical talent and accelerates the deployment of advanced electrification and energy storage solutions.
Covering more than 7,000 square meters, the Riyadh center combines exhibition areas, diagnostics and maintenance zones, refurbishment facilities, training spaces, and a customer lounge. It is designed to serve not only as a localized service hub for the region and a showcase of CATL's system-level capabilities across electric mobility, energy storage, and intelligent electrification, but also as a platform that links diverse resources, fostering industrial synergy across the ecosystem.
A full-lifecycle approach to new energy services
Relying on CATL's deep R&D and extreme manufacturing capabilities, NING SERVICE Experience Center provides customers with full-lifecycle services that encompass battery diagnostics, repair, maintenance, rework, training, recycling, aftermarket logistics and warehousing. Its services span over seven major product categories—from passenger and commercial vehicles to energy storage systems—along with diverse repair scenarios, setting a new benchmark for new energy service delivery in the region.
Leveraging CATL's advanced diagnostics and repair expertise, along with established service processes, the center's comprehensive after-sales services
helps enterprise customers reduce downtime, lower maintenance costs, and extend asset life, providing greater certainty around long-term performance and residual value while reducing long-term ownership costs and delivering more cost-effective and reliable services for end users.
Advancing localized operations and capability building
The Riyadh center serves as a key platform for CATL's localized operations in the Middle East, supporting talent development and long-term local value creation. Through dedicated training facilities, CATL builds after-sales and technical expertise in the new energy sector, contributing to skilled employment and knowledge transfer across the Middle East. Globally, NING SERVICE operates 10 training centers, totalling 2,300 square meters, and has certified more than 9,700 new energy after-sales professionals through partnerships with vocational institutions.
Beyond talent development, CATL is deepening its localization strategy by reinforcing local infrastructure and building ecosystem partnerships. CATL is in discussion with top-tier local industry players—including fuel network operators to rapidly provide green electricity to gas stations and major infrastructure companies to electrify their truck fleets, as well as energy companies to deploy solar-plus-storage solutions.
These initiatives not only bolster CATL's local service capabilities and market confidence, but also by enabling key partners, jointly drive the scaled adoption of comprehensive new energy solutions across the Middle East.
"As a leading energy company in Saudi Arabia, we see tremendous opportunities in energy transformation. For instance, we plan to deploy solar-plus-storage solutions at our gas stations and electrify forklifts to reduce reliance on oil. We look forward to collaborating with top players like CATL to drive this transition forward," said Ahmed Ibrahim，Assistant General Manager For Procurement of Al Drees, a leading provider of petroleum and logistics services in Saudi Arabia.
"The launch of CATL's Riyadh aftermarket flagship underscores our shared commitment to driving the global energy transition. This milestone not only reflects the growing demand for sustainable solutions in Saudi Arabia but also embodies our collective vision for a cleaner, electrified future. As the investor behind the experience centre, we are confident that this partnership will accelerate electrification and strengthen the region's role in advancing the energy transition." said Lin Chaofan, CEO of F4S.
Part of a global network
The Saudi Arabia opening builds on CATL's global service footprint, which includes more than 1,200 professional service stations across 76 countries and 73 spare-parts warehouses worldwide. CATL ranks No. 1 globally in spare parts inventory stocked with 100% genuine parts, with a total warehouse area of more than 370,000 square meters. To date, NING SERVICE has supported more than six million electric vehicles, providing professional after-sales services for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and energy storage customers.
A long-term commitment to the Middle East
Bruce Li, President of Quality System, Aftermarket Business, Battery Management System Department at CATL, said the Riyadh center reflects a strategic, long-term view of the region.
"Our decision to establish this center in Riyadh is not only a commercial choice, but a long-term commitment," Li said. "As the first NING SERVICE Experience Center in the Middle East, it is more than a service facility. It is a new energy aftermarket ecosystem hub that brings together advanced technology, professional training, and industry collaboration—effectively connecting diverse stakeholders and resources to foster deeper synergy and sustainable growth across the region. Starting from here, CATL will continue to expand its after-sales service network across the Middle East, align closely with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, and support the region's energy transition through a reliable, end-to-end service system."
As the Middle East accelerates its shift toward electrification and energy storage adoption, CATL's expanded NING SERVICE presence is poised to deliver the technical reliability and sustained partnerships essential for this transformation.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
CATL Opens Middle East's Largest New Energy Aftermarket Facility in Riyadh
CATL Opens Middle East's Largest New Energy Aftermarket Facility in Riyadh
CATL Opens Middle East's Largest New Energy Aftermarket Facility in Riyadh
