Prayut favourite public figure with whom Bangkokians want to celebrate Songkran: poll
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha tops the list of people Bangkoians would like to celebrate Songkran with, slightly ahead of Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, according to Bangkok Poll public survey.
The survey on "Songkran Festival of Bangkok People" done by the Bangkok University Research Center was released on Monday after surveying 1,202 Bangkok residents from March 29 to April 2.
According to the survey, the top five public personalities with whom people want to celebrate Songkran were Prime Minister Prayut (11.1%), followed by Chadchart (10.4%), Chuwit Kamolvisit (7.0%), Lisa Black Pink (5.6%), and Paetongtarn Shinawatra (4.5%).
Nearly three-fourths of respondents, 73.5%, said that this year's Songkran festival would be busier than last year's, while only 26.5% thought it would be less crowded.
Songkran travel this year would be motivated by the desire to visit as the pandemic is over according to 62.2% of respondents, 51% believed people would travel because of the consecutive long weekends, while 48% believed they would want to take a break and make merit.
More than half -- 58.3% -- said they had travel plans for the extended holiday: 31.3% would go back to their hometowns, 14.6% would visit places in Bangkok (such as Khao San Road, Siam, Asiatique, and temples), and 11.3% would visit other provinces.
Only a small number, of people had no travel plans: 35.5% of them said they wanted to unwind at home, and 6.2% wanted to celebrate Songkran there.
Only those who made plans responded, with 65.8% saying they would celebrate with their families, 4.7% with their partner, and 13.4% with friends.
When asked what they planned to do for the occasion, 59.4% said they wanted to make merit by giving food to monks and bathing the Buddha statue, 41.1% wanted to get together with family and friends, and 39.3% wanted to pour water on elders' heads and seeking their blessings.
