Authorities Thailand threatened tourists vacationing in resorts with a large fine and a real prison term for splashing and dousing with water. And even the military, police and city officials have already been pulled onto the popular streets to pacify the vacationers. Read more in the article “Thailand deployed troops to fight tourists.”
Pouring water is the main ritual of the Songkran festival – the Thai New Year. The dates of its celebration are from 13 to 15 April. The main ritual of the holiday is dousing with water. It symbolizes liberation from bad thoughts, washing away the negative and cleansing. Also, with its help, local residents see off the heat and meet the rainy season, which begins at the end of April.
However, Thailand still has strict anti-COVID rules and face masks are mandatory in most situations. The ban on water splashing events is partly due to the fact that tourists are unlikely to wear masks while pouring water on each other. The Thai Prime Minister expressed concern about the national tradition and sent officials to raid popular tourist destinations to remind tourists of the current ban.
What threatens tourists?
< p>Anyone who violates current public health safety regulations can be fined 40,000 baht – the ruble equivalent of almost 97,000 rubles – or sentenced to two years in prison. In exceptional cases, both penalties may be applied. In addition, rule breakers may face an additional fine of up to 20,000 baht under the Communicable Diseases Act.
It is clarified that some elements of traditional celebrations may be applied in accordance with strict protocols. However, where mass gatherings are allowed, there will be no foam parties, nor the sale or consumption of alcohol.
However, recent videos and photos posted on social media from the holiday are evidence that tourists are either ignorant of the official order or not aware of it. In this regard, tourism officials, police and troops were sent to hot spots, including the resort island of Phuket, to convey the message about security restrictions on site, seize water pistols and identify tourists with symptoms characteristic of the coronavirus. So far, the local media have not reported on the fines and punishment in the form of imprisonment.
For those who care about a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading: “The doctor named an amazing reason why people cannot lose weight.”
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