Songkran activities more popular in South: research
THAIS in the Southern region are more likely to indulge in Songkran festivities than Bangkokians, according to new research by Dunnhumby, a UK-based customer-science company.
According to Dunnhumby, which analysed Thai shopping behaviour over last year’s Songkran period, the highest proportion of customers buying either of the two key products (water guns and Songkran shirts) was in the South. This region includes the holiday islands of Phuket and Samui, which highlight the desire of many tourists to join in the fun at Thai New Year. In the South, 8 out of 10 customers purchased one of these two items.
In comparison, only barely 6 out of 10 customers in Bangkok made Songkran purchases revealing that upcountry Thais seem to revel in Songkran activities more than people living in the capital.
The research also reveals that most products related to Songkran are purchased within 48 hours of the beginning of the holidays.
Thais are renowned for their sense of fun, and Songkran shifts this community spirit to a new level with water-gun fights. Water guns are one of the most sought-after items, with shoppers last year purchasing nearly 300 kilometres of guns – equivalent to the distance between Bangkok and the Cambodian border.
The average price in Bangkok for a water gun was Bt158, while the cost of a Songkran shirt averages Bt102.
“Songkran is a special time of year for Thais to release some tension and have fun with family and friends,” said Teeradet Dumrongbhalasirt, head of Connect Media, Dunnhumby Thailand.
“Our shopper research shows the Thais in the South are obviously well prepared on all fronts for their water-throwing activities and also reveals that generally upcountry Thais are more likely to take part in Songkran activities than people living in Bangkok.”
