Silom and Khao San wet and wild

Thai and foreign revellers play water at Bangkok's Khao San Road as part of the Songkran Festival celebrations yesterday./Supakit Khumkun/The Nation

Festivities at Bangkok's Khao San Road have been extended till tomorrow, while there was heavy congestion in Silom also as revellers splashed water at each another, in the tra¬ditional fashion.

Khao San Road Business Operators' Association chair¬man Surat Wongchansil said people could come and "play water" from 7am to 10pm till Friday, as the government had made April 16 and 17 additional holidays.

However, 300 security guards hired by the association were due to finish work last night, as per their original schedule, he said. So, officers from Chana Songkhram and Phra Nakhon police stations would provide security for revellers today and tomorrow.

The atmosphere at Khao San yesterday buzzed with Thai and foreign revellers enjoying the usual watersplashing fun.

Silom saw revellers in water fights from the Dusit Thani Hotel to Narathiwat Rajanakarin Intersection from the afternoon, causing heavy traffic congestion.

Bang Rak District office dispatched officials and police to ensure security as the Emergency Law is still in effect. However, vendors said business was not as good as last Songkran, as the economic slowdown had people using old water guns rather than buying new ones.

In the North where people regard yesterday, or "Payawan", as the most important day of the traditional New Year, resi¬dents in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Lamphun built small sandy pagodas and flags at temples. It is believed such acts bring them major merit.

After paying respect to seniors in the afternoon, watersplashing revellers cheerfully celebrated the New Year around Chiang Mai's canal. Wat Lokmolee also wowed tourists and locals with a grand outdoor stage play with nearly 100 performers acting out the making of the Lanna Kingdom in Chiang Mai 700 years ago.

In Chanthaburi's Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Reserve, many people came out to throw water for the festival, a contrast to the much quieter atmosphere two days ago.

In Kalasin, so many revellers showed up at the fivekilome¬trelong Anakhanak Road in Muang district that Kalasin Tourist Business Association chairman Nimit Rodpai was confident more than Bt30 million would be generated from the festival.

Some Songkran revellers started to return to Bangkok from upcountry yesterday to avoid crowds.

Transport Co Ltd president Wutthichat Kalayanamit said although 200,000 travellers were expected to return to Bangkok today and tomorrow, a third may delay this because of the two extra holidays. He affirmed there were sufficient buses for all travellers.

State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Yutthana Thapcharoen said the recent redshirt protests had stopped 150,000 passengers reaching their destinations as 75 trains had been suspended. The SRT had lost Bt6 million income a day. Four trains would be added to the Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Silaard (Uttaradit) and Si Sa Ket routes for original Songkran holidays, and six trains added for today and tomorrow, he said.