Revellers on Phuket’s Patong Beach flout water-splashing ban
Both Thais and foreign tourists were seen brazenly using water guns and splashing water in a popular soi at Phuket’s Patong Beach on Tuesday night, reminiscent of pre-Covid times, despite a countrywide ban.
Soi Bangla, where many bars are located, was completely soaked with water splashed by both bar girls and foreign tourists, many of whom were seen armed with large water guns.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) had banned water splashing and wet powder smearing nationwide on concerns that these activities would lead to the highly transmissible Omicron variant spreading. The CCSA has allowed only the traditional pouring of water on the hands of the elderly to seek their Songkran blessings.
Phuket Governor Narong Wunsiew had issued a provincial directive prohibiting water splashing, with the order assigning district CCSA committees to enforce the ban.
But the soi came alive with foreign tourists fearlessly targeting bar girls in a water-gun battle on Tuesday night. No officials were seen around to stop them from flouting the ban.
