Thingyan, the traditional New Year’s water festival is normally the biggest, most joyous and raucous festival in Myanmar, but it looks as if this year’s festival, like the previous two will be far more muted.

The New Year festivities run from 13 to 15 or 16 April depending on the year and everyone has the time off work. Traditionally people sprinkled each other with water over the New Year period but, over the years this has evolved into good-natured, unruly water fights with people attempting to soak each other along roads throughout the country.

Stages (called pandals) are set up alongside roads. Revellers gather at each stage and throw water over passing people and vehicles, often to loud amplified music whilst they are inebriated.

In 2020 Thingyan was cancelled because everyone had to socially distance because of the COVID 19 pandemic. In 2021 people boycotted Thingyan celebrations in protest at the military junta’s coup and illegal takeover of the country.

This year the junta is trying to force the populace to celebrate Thingyan. Normally stages are sponsored by businesses, but this year no companies have registered to sponsor stages. The junta is building Thingyan stages in Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Daw and other areas.

The junta is also urging hotel and bar owners to have parties during Thingyan in a desperate attempt to show to the outside world that everything is running as normal in Myanmar.

But, after the devastation the junta has wreaked on the country in the last year there is little public support for Thingyan celebrations, especially military-sponsored celebrations.

As if that was not enough to put people off from celebrating Thingyan, local People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) have issued strong public warnings to the population telling them not to attend Thingyan celebrations. They are warning that there may be attacks on military-sponsored celebrations and they will not be responsible for any injuries suffered by members of the public caught up in such attacks.

Bomb attacks have already been reported in a number of areas, including Yangon.

Justice Mandalay PDF have stated that they will be targeting Thingyan stages and has warned members of the public not to go near them.

Most members of the public seem to approve of the Thingyan boycott.

So, for the third year running it looks like it will be a damp squib of a Thingyan with no water fights, celebration or joy, in keeping with the sombre mood of the country.