Bangkok: Bangkok is set to enforce a ban on fireworks and sky lanterns for the New Year 2026 celebrations as part of a broader strategy to enhance safety and security across the city. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has announced a comprehensive plan to monitor and mitigate potential disasters, with heightened security measures to be maintained round-the-clock.
According to Thai News Agency, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt chaired a virtual meeting with BMA executives and department heads to address the city’s preparations for the upcoming New Year festivities. The decision to hold the meeting electronically aimed to minimize travel amid high levels of PM2.5 dust in the city. During the meeting, the Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation presented the New Year’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Action Plan for 2026. The plan, which was shared with BMA officials, outlines measures to prevent and mitigate disasters during the festival period by coordinating efforts between local government and private agencies to establish a joint command center.
The action plan is structured into three phases: pre-festival preparations, festival operations, and post-festival operations. Its primary focus is on reducing the risks associated with fireworks and sky lanterns, as well as ensuring rapid response to any disasters. The BMA is preparing to issue a decree prohibiting the use of rockets, fireworks, rocket launchers, and sky lanterns. Additionally, businesses are being urged to cooperate with these measures, and the public is encouraged to abstain from alcohol for safety reasons during the celebrations. The action plan is pending the signature of the Bangkok Governor.
Assoc. Prof. Thawida Kamolvej, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, highlighted the importance of fire prevention in both residential and commercial areas, noting an increase in fatalities due to delayed warnings. Intensive inspections of high-risk areas are planned to ensure readiness. Unlike previous years, there will be no centralized situation monitoring center during the seven-day New Year’s holiday. Instead, a coordinated system will be in place, operated by the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Centers of the District Offices and the BMA, which function continuously. District directors will use this system to establish an incident command center when necessary, in line with the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act.