Fact check! Reviewing Songkran 2026 laws: Reckless water splashing, harassment, and forced participation in water activities can result in severe penalties including imprisonment for years and fines of hundreds of thousands of baht.
Today (13 Apr 2026) marks the official start of the Songkran 2026 festival, during which messages have circulated online and in chat groups warning that offenses during Songkran can lead to punishments as severe as imprisonment, detailed as follows.
"Warning for this Songkran: Reckless water splashing and applying powder on unwilling participants could end with jail time.
Reckless water splashing risks jail: Splashing that causes trouble to others = up to 1 month in jail / fine up to 10,000 baht.
Damaging property by splashing means heavy penalties: Broken phones or cameras = up to 3 years in jail / fine up to 60,000 baht.
Don’t force participation if someone refuses: Forcing others to join water activities = illegal, up to 3 years in jail / fine up to 60,000 baht.
Excessive powder application risks jail: Unconsented touching such as hugging, holding waists, holding hands, or pulling arms is considered sexual harassment, with harsher penalties if violence is involved or if the victim is a child.
For acts against adults (aged 15 and over), the maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonment or a fine up to 200,000 baht.
For acts against children (under 13 years old), penalties are more severe: imprisonment from 1 to 10 years or fines between 20,000 and 200,000 baht.
Using violence or threats raises penalties: Maximum imprisonment of 15 years or fines between 20,000 and 300,000 baht.
Causing severe injury or death incurs the harshest penalties: life imprisonment or the death penalty.
If the harm leads to severe injury or death, the maximum punishment is life imprisonment or death.
Upon verification, these actions are indeed improper and punishable by law, with some minor additional details based on information from the Royal Thai Police, ,and the Central Investigation Bureau.They have previously revealed the following prohibitions and penalties:
1. Splashing water or applying powder on those not participating or without consent: Punishable by imprisonment up to 1 month or a fine up to 10,000 baht.
2. Splashing dirty water: Punishable by imprisonment up to 1 month or a fine up to 10,000 baht.
3. Playing loud music in public places: Punishable by imprisonment up to 1 month or a fine up to 10,000 baht.
4. Indecent or revealing dressing: Punishable by a fine of 5,000 baht.
5. Using high-pressure water guns causing injury: Punishable by imprisonment up to 2 years or a fine up to 40,000 baht.
6. Splashing water on non-participants causing damage to others’ property such as mobile phones, cameras, or electronic devices: May constitute "property damage" with punishment up to 3 years imprisonment, a fine up to 60,000 baht, or both.
7. Forcing or coercing others to join water activities against their clear refusal: May be considered coercion with punishment up to 3 years imprisonment, a fine up to 60,000 baht, or both.
8. Prohibited from splashing water on moving vehicles: If causing death, punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.
9. Excessive powder application involving groping, fondling, or inappropriate touching: May constitute sexual harassment with punishment up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine up to 200,000 baht. For victims under 15, all contact is considered non-consensual. Penalties do not increase to 15 years or higher unless force or threats are used.
If such sexual harassment results in death, it may be classified as "causing death through criminal act" with the maximum penalty being life imprisonment, and in extreme cases, "intentional homicide" which carries the maximum penalty of the death sentence.
