UNESCO has officially designated “Songkran Water Festival”, traditional Thai New Year festival, as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024. The Thai-Austrian Society (TAS) has been organizing “Songkran Water Festival” since 2023. On 23 April 2025, the Thai-Austrian Society (TAS) organized the 3rd “Songkran Water Festival: The Celebration of the Thai New Year” at Baan Rim Naam Restaurant. The objective of the event is to promote cultural relationships among Thais, Austrians and other foreign residing in Thailand. “Songkran” is a time of purification, renewal, and honouring the elders. Pouring water is a significant act during Songkran, symbolizing cleansing, reverence and good fortune. TAS Songkran promotes community cooperation, unity and forgiveness. While it is known globally for the famous region-wide water fights, TAS Songkran emphasizes on raising awareness about environmental issues by being efficient in water consumption and supporting green events.
“TAS-Songkran”-a responsible festival was organized by using the “Creatives for Climate Action – Thailand (CCAT)” toolkit to reduce the environmental impact. The concept and practical guidelines are supported by EUNIC Cluster Thailand which the aim to supporting green events, incorporating natural materials into decor brings warmth, texture, and a sense of connection to nature, using recycle materials, minimizing wastes, using water efficiently, supporting public transportation used by organizing a walking tour from the nearest underground (MRT-Wat Mangkon) station to the venue etc.
CCAT is a project by the European Union National Institutes for Culture in Thailand (EUNIC Cluster Thailand), co-organized with Creative Migration (International Arts Organization) and in collaboration with the Creative Economy Agency (Public Organization) to facilitate knowledge sharing between European and Thai cultural practitioners to exchange best practices for sustainability for the creative industries.
