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[Viral Press capture] / Hong Seok-cheon’s Instagram
Thailand’s internationally known water festival, Songkran, was marred by violence this year. On Pattaya’s popular Walking Street, a European-looking tourist in his 50s was the victim of a brutal, apparently unprovoked group assault by local men, an episode that has drawn international condemnation.
According to U.S. outlets including the New York Post, the attack occurred on the 17th. The man, who was traveling alone, says he became a target after objecting to a group of local youths who had sprayed water directly into his face.
The youths continued the assault even after the victim fell to the ground, including kicking him in the head.
No police officers were visible while bystanders tried to break up the attack. An ophthalmological exam later diagnosed the victim with a retinal hemorrhage.
[Viral Press capture]
Hong Seok-cheon’s Instagram
Songkran was traditionally a gentle New Year ritual in which younger people poured water over the hands of elders to show respect. Over time, however, commercialization and a push to attract tourists have transformed the holiday into mass water-gun fights. That shift has coincided with a rise in aggressive behavior and declining attention to safety.
Thai authorities report that during this year’s holiday period alone there were more than 1,100 traffic accidents nationwide, producing hundreds of deaths and injuries. The casualty figures have severely undermined the festival’s reputation.
Against the backdrop of Songkran’s growing reputation as a “festival of death,” local and international observers are calling for stronger law enforcement and urgent policy measures to restore the celebration’s original cultural meaning and to protect residents and visitors alike.
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