KRC:Bt31.5b will likely be spent during Songkran 2013

BANGKOK, April 4 (TNA) - The Kasikorn Research Center (KRC) has estimated that a total of about 31.5 billion baht should be spent nationwide during the Songkran or the traditional Thai New Year Festival 2013 in mid-April, a 10.5 per cent year-on-year increase, with at least 300 million baht to be spent in Hat Yai, Thailand's business hub in the southern Songkhla province alone. KRC has assessed that some 25 billion baht, out of the total 31.5 billion baht, should be spent domestically on Songkran parties, shopping, merit makings, traveling to hometowns and on one-day trips for sightseeing and other activities; while the rest 6 billion baht should be spent on traveling abroad by Thais, with their most popular destinations being in Asia, namely Japan, South Korea and Singapore. A recent survey, meanwhile, found that most respondents in Bangkok, or some 52.5 per cent, opted to celebrate the forthcoming Songkran Festival in the capital, admitting that the rising costs of living appear to be a major factor influencing their spending during the upcoming traditional Thai New Year Festival. Meanwhile, Somchart Pimthanapoonporn, President of the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotel Association told journalists on Thursday that more than 12,000 hotel rooms in Hat Yai have been fully booked from April 11-13 for the upcoming Songkran celebrations, prompting a number of international tourists to have, instead, reserved hotel rooms in nearby Muang district, as well as rooms at local apartment buildings. Somchart said he foresaw this year's Songkran Festival should be livelier than that of last year, with at least 300 million baht expected to be changed hands in Hat Yai alone, Security authorities are, on the other hand, intensifying precautions at six checkpoints in three districts accessing to Hat Yai. The Thai Ministry of Transport's Department of Highways has announced that it will offer special services to Songkran travelers nationwide from April 11-17, including well-maintained highways, clear traffic signs and lights, sufficient highway lighting and around-the-clock public services and hotline number 1586. Besides, the department will suspend tolls on its motorways from 4pm on April 10 to midnight of April 16; while state-owned Transport Company will operate over 58,000 trips of inter-provincial buses to serve over 600,000 passengers from April 9-18. (TNA)