BANGKOK, April 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Thailand's globally renowned festivals, Songkran and Loy Krathong, possess immense cultural and tourism potential—yet remain underleveraged in driving international travel. Despite high levels of global awareness, participation remains low due to concerns over safety, festival management, and infrastructure. A recent study by Sasin Management Consulting (SMC), Sasin School of Management, Chulalongkorn University reveals that only a fraction of international tourists visits Thailand specifically for these celebrations. To transform Songkran and Loy Krathong into world-class attractions, Thailand must enhance safety, improve infrastructure, and integrate deeper cultural storytelling with engaging experiences—positioning its festivals not just as spectacles, but as meaningful, must-see global events.
Thailand's world-renowned cultural festivals—Songkran and Loy Krathong—are celebrated for their unique charm, spiritual depth, and vibrant traditions. Whether it's the exhilarating water fights of Songkran or the serene beauty of floating krathongs under the moonlight, these iconic events captivate global attention. Yet, despite their popularity, these festivals remain an underutilized asset in driving international tourism.
High Awareness, Low Participation
According to recent research conducted by Sasin Management Consulting (SMC), there's a significant gap between awareness and actual visitation. The survey of 2,200 potential international tourists showed that while 75% were aware of Songkran, only 20% had traveled to Thailand to experience it firsthand. A similar trend appeared for Loy Krathong, with over 50% aware of the festival, yet only 16% had visited during the celebration.
Tourism data from 2018, 2019, and 2024 (excluding pandemic-impacted years) further supports this trend, showing no significant spike in arrivals during the festival months of April (Songkran) or November (Loy Krathong). Among tourists who did visit during these times, only one-third came specifically for the festivals; the majority were motivated by general interest in Thailand as a destination.
What's Holding Tourists Back?
The study highlights several key deterrents affecting international participation in Thai cultural events:
- Safety and Security: Cited by 24% of respondents as a concern, particularly regarding large public gatherings.
- Lack of Festival Awareness: Nearly a quarter of respondents simply didn't know enough about the festivals to prioritize them.
- Poor Festival Management: Tourists expressed dissatisfaction with the organization, crowd control, and accessibility of festival events.
- Inadequate Infrastructure: 13% pointed to subpar facilities not meeting international expectations.
These issues create a disconnect between what tourists' value—safety, convenience, cultural authenticity—and what Thai festivals currently offer.
Bridging the Gap: Culture & Entertainment
Thailand's cultural festivals are undeniably entertaining, but their deeper meaning and traditions often remain underrepresented in the global tourism narrative. While Songkran's joyful water fights are widely recognized, its Buddhist origins and cultural symbolism are rarely emphasized abroad.
Yet the appetite for cultural experiences is strong. In fact, 70% of respondents praised Thailand's rich cultural value. This suggests an opportunity to reposition Thai festivals by integrating both entertainment and cultural depth, making them more meaningful for a broader spectrum of tourists.
Turning Festivals into World-Class Attractions
To fully capitalize on the tourism potential of Songkran and Loy Krathong, Thailand must:
The Road Ahead
Songkran and Loy Krathong have the potential to be more than just beautiful cultural snapshots—they can become flagship events that draw millions of visitors, similar to Brazil's Carnival or Japan's Cherry Blossom season. By addressing current gaps and reimagining the festival experience, Thailand can transform its beloved traditions into world-class tourism magnets.
To learn more about this recent study by Sasin Management Consulting (SMC), please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/231879/
About Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University has made the world's top 50 university list for employment outcomes, which reflects both the high employment rate and work ability of Chula graduates. The university is also listed as the best in Thailand for the 15th Consecutive Year (since 2009), according to the newly released QS World University Rankings 2024, putting Chula at 211th in the world, up from 244th last year.
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** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Unlocking Thailand's Festival Potential: Boosting Tourism through Songkran and Loy Krathong
GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 14, 2026, Guangzhou Zhongshan Whampoa School for Hong Kong and Macao Students (ZWIS) and Foshan Zhongshan Whampoa Star-raise School for Hong Kong and Macao Students (ZWSS)—both established by ZWIE—formally signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), marking the launch of several substantive collaborative initiatives. The two ZWIE schools will introduce EdUHK's "Mainland Secondary School Principals' Recommendation Scheme" and provide outstanding EdUHK students with opportunities for school visits, immersive on-campus experiences, and internships. The partners will also jointly organize admission seminars and parent engagement activities to offer families cutting-edge educational guidance.
Professor May Cheng May-hung, Vice President (Academic) of EdUHK, said that the signing of the memorandum marks a significant and solid step forward in promoting educational innovation and deepening exchanges between both parties. This collaboration covers multiple areas, which will enhance students' practical abilities, foster professional exchanges among teachers, and further strengthen the cooperation between the educational sectors of the two regions.
Dr. Peggy Zhai, Principal of Zhongshan Whampoa School for Hong Kong and Macao Students, said that this collaboration represents a profound integration of academia and practice. It not only creates a fast track to quality education for students and injects new vitality into teacher development and teaching research advancement, but also provides a high-end, quality career platform for outstanding students of EdUHK, further promoting the integration of education in the Greater Bay Area.
The partnership is founded on the alignment of educational philosophies and mutual high regard for each other's strengths. EdUHK is a government-funded higher education institution dedicated to advancing learning and teaching through the provision of teacher education programs, as well as diverse academic and research programs in social sciences and humanities. In the March-released "2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject" in education, EdUHK ranked 12th globally, fourth in Asia, and second in Hong Kong. Additionally, it was rated as a "5-Star Institution" in the "QS Stars University Ratings." The Zhongshan Whampoa Schools for Hong Kong and Macao Students, established in Guangzhou and Foshan by ZWIE based on over two decades of experience, have grown into leading force in educating Hong Kong and Macao students in the Greater Bay Area. The Guangzhou campus has obtained authorization for the IB MYP-DP continuum and Cognia accreditation, and was listed among the "Hurun Education•Top 100 International Schools in China 2025."
As a pioneer in the integration of Eastern and Western holistic education, ZWIE has been deeply rooted in the Greater Bay Area for over 23 years and has established and supported multiple IB World Schools. Grounded in local educational characteristics and integrated with the IB curriculum framework, ZWIE actively promotes the fusion and innovation of IB and Chinese education, constructing a coherent 15-year IB holistic education ecosystem from kindergarten through high school. It was elected as the founding chair unit of Chong Wa International Baccalaureate Schools Association (CISA), officially recognized by the IB in Greater China. This achievement is underpinned by an educational legacy spanning a century.
ZWIE's approach to integrated education traces back to the great-grandfather of Mr. James Wong, Chairman of ZWIE—Mr. Wu Shangshi, a pioneering figure in Chinese hydrogeography and a master of modern geography in Lingnan. Mr. Wu Shangshi graduated from the English Department of Sun Yat-sen University, pursued advanced studies in France under renowned French geographers, and upon returning to China, taught at Sun Yat-sen University where he later served as head of the Geography Department.
Mr. Wu Shangshi was proficient in English, French, and German. His translation of Hydrology of Rivers was the first French monograph translated in the Chinese geographical community. His published Research on the Topography of the Eastern Foothills of Baiyun Mountain was one of China's earliest true topographical papers. The "Pearl River Delta" geographical theory was finalized and matured under his research, and the "Seven Star Hill Ancient Marine Abrasion Relics" he discovered are now listed as a key Guangzhou cultural relics protection unit. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he led teachers and students on a walking survey of the mountains and rivers of northern Guangdong, holding steadfastly to his lectures amidst the fires of war, integrating a sense of national and familial commitment into the educational ethos.
Many of Mr. Wu Shangshi's descendants have dedicated themselves to education, and this educational ideal of "rooting in China, looking to the world" has been passed down through generations. In 2003, Mr. James Wong was entrusted by his family to return from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, the place where Mr. Wu Shangshi studied and taught, to explore integrated Chinese and Western education for the new era. The name "Zhonghuang" (中黃) is derived from "Zhonghua Yanhuang" (中華炎黃), and from its inception, its mission has been to inherit and promote Chinese culture.
For over two decades, ZWIE has driven curriculum innovation as its core, developing an integrated curriculum system with both local roots and international perspective. In recent years, ZWIE has continually advanced curriculum evolution, deeply integrating AI-enabled teaching while strengthening science and innovation education. It has explored joint programs with several century-old prestigious schools in the Greater Bay Area to cultivate top innovative talents among Hong Kong and Macao students. As a rising star among schools for Hong Kong and Macao students in the region, ZWIE achieved remarkable results in its inaugural 2025 DSE cohort: at the Guangzhou campus, 46.6% of graduates received offers from top three universities in Hong Kong, 73.3% from top five, including four admitted to the University of Hong Kong (covering flagship programs in Medicine and International Business and Global Management). At the Foshan campus, all inaugural DSE graduates received offers from top five Hong Kong universities or mainland 985/211 institutions, achieving outcomes comparable to Hong Kong Band 1 schools. All graduates from the ZWIE American Curriculum Department gained admission to top 100 world universities.
Mr. James Wong, Chairman of ZWIE, expressed that ZWIE originated in Hong Kong and has accumulated 23 years of practical experience in integrated education within the Greater Bay Area. This in-depth collaboration with EdUHK not only signifies high recognition of ZWIE's educational practices but also provides strong support for ZWIE's return to Hong Kong to extend its operations. Mr. Wong mentioned that ZWIE is actively promoting the launch of a new Hong Kong project, "Zhongshan Whampoa Academy," dedicated to exploring Sino-foreign integrated international curricula with Chinese characteristics, cultivating innovative talents with both noble character and global competence. He looks forward to this as a new starting point—based in the Greater Bay Area, facing the "Belt and Road"—to contribute the wisdom of Chinese education to the world.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
ZWIE and The Education University of Hong Kong Sign Memorandum of Cooperation to Promote Exchange and Deepen Collaboration
ZWIE and The Education University of Hong Kong Sign Memorandum of Cooperation to Promote Exchange and Deepen Collaboration
ZWIE and The Education University of Hong Kong Sign Memorandum of Cooperation to Promote Exchange and Deepen Collaboration
