Thailand’s Songkran festival makes a splash in Hong Kong as urban renewal chief pledges to preserve area’s unique characteristics
- Urban Renewal Authority chief says Kowloon City is home to unique shops selling diverse goods and restaurants celebrating Chaoshan and Thai cultures
- Hundreds flock to Carpenter Road Park football field in Kowloon City and nearby streets to mark Thai new year festival for the first time in three years
The Songkran festival returned to Hong Kong’s Kowloon City district with a splash on Sunday after the pandemic put celebrations on hold for the past three years, as the city’s redevelopment chief pledged to preserve the area’s local characteristics including the vibrancy of the Thai community while embarking on urban regeneration.
Wai Chi-sing, managing director of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), on Sunday noted that Kowloon City was home to many unique shops selling diverse and affordable goods. Restaurants celebrating the local Chaoshan and Thai food cultures, on top of distinctive traditional festivals, had created a unique commercial ecosystem, he said.
“Before we embark on the urban renewal of Kowloon City, the URA has already studied at the planning stage the reservation of locations for merchants to relocate to and operate after reconstruction, while trying to preserve ground level shops and the vibrancy of the community,” Wai wrote on his blog.
On Sunday morning, volunteers from the authority helped a Thai service team with decorating venues and transporting supplies for the Songkran festival in Kowloon City.
Songkran marks the Thai new year with the old practice of splashing water to wash away sins and bad luck evolving into colourful and exhilarating mass water fights.
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Hundreds of residents flocked to Carpenter Road Park football field in Kowloon City and nearby streets to celebrate the festival, with dance performances, Muay Thai competitions and water splashing events among the activities.
Thai Consul-General Chaturont Chaiyakam also visited the community to celebrate the festival.
Thai merchants expressed optimism about business and had stocked up with extra water guns for sale. Some also prepared water buckets for participants to refill and hoped they enjoyed the festivities.
“We have more types of products so customers will have more choice. I estimate sales will be about double. Usually business is about HK$5,000, but today it may be about HK$10,000,” a Thai merchant named Phetcharat said.
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Water fights return to Hong Kong’s streets with first Songkran celebration since pandemic
Wai said the authority had hired consultants to poll people who visited the area and businesses operating nearby in two phases. The first phase was carried out last November. Most of the 300 respondents said they visited Kowloon City three days a week mainly for shopping and visiting restaurants.
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“They expressed their support for the URA’s study on providing transitional operating arrangements and permanent relocation plans for tenants while indicating they would continue to shop there in the future,” Wai said.
“We are also carefully considering the operational needs of the merchants, especially the details of the store’s location, size, storage space, refrigeration facilities, loading and unloading parking spaces, surrounding facilities, as well as the rental arrangements.”
On Sunday, a group from the authority also partnered with a Thai service team of 30 volunteers who will learn about the community’s needs. The team will expand its scope to take care of the physical and mental health of the community during the redevelopment.
The authority announced last year it would build 4,350 flats in Kowloon City, comprising three sites with a total area of 37,000 square metres. It was expected to produce a fivefold increase in the overall number of flats in the neighbourhood once the redevelopment was completed in 2036-37.
Its second-largest redevelopment project to date sparked concerns among residents and business owners in the area that it might jeopardise the unique character of the neighbourhood.
The authority estimated a cost of HK$10 billion (US$1.27 billion) to acquire the 1,000 property interests, with residents offered either financial compensation or a new flat upon completion of the project.
