On April 2, Thanavath Phonvichai, President and Chief Advisor of the Center for Economic and Business Forecasting, University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, disclosed that the overall Thai economy is currently affected by conflicts in the Middle East. This has caused a significant surge in global oil prices, with crude oil prices standing at approximately $110 per barrel, an abnormally high level. Combined with transportation costs, this has raised domestic oil costs to nearly THB 60 per liter.
This factor has begun to reflect in spending patterns in the Songkran festival, which is typically the period of peak annual spending. However, this year, people are tending to be more cautious with their spending, reminiscent of the COVID-19 crisis and the previous Russia–Ukraine war.
It is necessary to monitor the number of foreign tourists during Songkran, as this could stimulate the economy. If the number of tourists rises due to soft power attractions like the Songkran festival, it may help support the economic atmosphere.
Nevertheless, from a consumer behavior survey for the Songkran festival in 2026, which surveyed 1,280 samples between March 25–30, 2026, it is projected that total circulating money will be 129.649 billion baht, a decrease of 3.7% from 2025, which stood at 134.631 billion baht, marking the lowest level in four years since 2023.
Meanwhile, public concerns during the festival are led by high oil prices (95.1%), followed by goods and services prices (25.1%), sexual harassment (26.4%), theft when away from home (25.7%), traffic congestion (23.1%), and confrontations during the festival (20.9%).
For the Songkran festivities, 51.8% of people feel that the fun remains similar to before, while 33.1% feel it is less enjoyable than last year, and 15.1% find it more enjoyable.
