What the data reveals about app usage during Songkran in Thailand

Songkran Festival, also known as the water festival globally, is held every April 13-15, marking the Thai New Year. The country transforms nationwide into a mix of water fights, ancient spiritual rituals, and family reunions. As one of the most exciting celebrations in Southeast Asia, Songkran draws millions of local and international travelers, driving a surge in activity both on the streets and on mobile devices. 

Mobile apps have become integral for users navigating this holiday. From booking transportation and staying connected with friends and family to finding entertainment and making payments, app usage intensifies across key app categories. 

In this article, we break down the mobile app trends across key app verticals recorded during Songkran 2025 and share insights to help mobile developers and marketers optimize app experiences and campaigns, capture increased user demand, and drive growth throughout this high-impact seasonal period.

Food and drink apps recorded some of the most significant increases in activity across the Songkran period, with spikes in installs, sessions, and time spent in-app. Food plays a unifying role in this celebration, as friends and families gather, naturally creating strong demand for food delivery and meal planning solutions throughout the holiday.

In the pre-festival period, installs surged 87% and sessions 127% versus the 2025 average. App usage grew further throughout the three-day celebration, with installs and sessions soaring 141% and 160%. Following the festival, installs climbed 59%, and sessions jumped 121%. Session length also expanded YoY, from 12.85 minutes in 2024 to 13.34 minutes in 2025.

E-commerce app activity surged two weeks before Songkran, app installs climbed by 4% compared to the 2025 average. Once the festival began, installs and sessions jumped by 28% and 2%. This upward trajectory persisted post-festival, with installs and sessions up 49% and 3%.

A similar pattern emerged for shopping apps individually. Two weeks before the festival, installs saw a 4% boost, while sessions declined slightly. During Songkran, installs and sessions rose 28% and 2%, and after the festival installs leapt by 49% and sessions by 10%.

Deal discovery apps showed a slightly different trend, with stronger session growth (12%) leading up to the festival. The numbers remained elevated (+10%) in the festival period, but slowed to +1% in the two weeks following.

Together, these patterns suggest that users likely spent more time exploring deals ahead of the festival, before returning to complete actions.

Turning to entertainment apps, at the time of the festival, the average session length jumped YoY from 17.61 minutes in 2024 to 22.91 minutes in 2025. This 30% uplift in session duration was accompanied by steady gains in installs, up 8% in the two weeks leading up to Songkran and by a further 9% during the festival. After the celebrations, app activity remained high, with installs continuing their upward trend (+32%) in the subsequent two weeks and sessions increasing 7%.

At the subvertical level, music and audio apps experienced a 6% increase in installs during the festival. Video streaming apps also recorded longer sessions, with average session length ticking up from 18.23 minutes in 2024 to 18.68 minutes in 2025.

Social apps are now a big part of Songkran. YoY, users spent more time per session on social apps during Songkran 2025, with average session lengths extending from 9.74 minutes in 2024 to 10.96 minutes.

Messaging apps exhibited strong activity across all phases. Two weeks before Songkran, installs and sessions shot up by 81% and 137% compared to the 2025 average. While the festival was underway, installs grew 35% and sessions 113%. Post-festival, the increases were 57% and 136%. The average session length in this festive season increased YoY, from 17.25 minutes in 2024 to 22.32 minutes in 2025.

Ahead of the festival, social networking app installs and sessions were also up (22% and 40%, respectively). When the celebration was in full swing, installs climbed 22% and sessions 19%, and by the post-festival period the increases reached 65% 48%. Session length edged up YoY, from 20.82 minutes in 2024 to 20.98 minutes in 2025.

Amid the festivities, travel app installs ticked up by 4% and sessions by 2% compared to the 2025 average, following 3% and 8% increases in the two weeks prior. After Songkran installs climbed 27% and sessions 9%. The average session length during Songkran 2025 reached 10.26 minutes, up 37% YoY from 7.48 minutes.

Among travel apps, it was maps and navigation with highest session numbers throughout, up 25%, 44%, and 34% before, during, and after Songkran.

In finance, banking app sessions increased by 58% in the two weeks leading up to Songkran, compared to the 2025 average, 51% during, and 35% following (alongside a 40% installs boost). Across all finance apps, average session lengths during the festival increased YoY, reaching 9.61 minutes in 2025 (up from 8.26 minutes).

To maximize performance and revenue during Songkran, mobile developers and marketers must align their campaigns and in-app experiences with user behavior throughout the festival period. The strategies below highlight key areas of focus:

Align campaigns to behavior across phases

Dynamically adjust budgets and creatives throughout the Songkran period instead of relying on a fixed campaign setup. Increase spend on high-intent categories in the lead-up to peak travel days, shift to short-form and real-time messaging for the run of the festival, and prioritize retargeting and conversion-focused campaigns afterward. 

Optimize the in-app experience for intermittent usage

Optimize for fast, low-friction interactions, as app usage during Songkran tends to happen in short, situational bursts. Streamline onboarding to enable quick entry (e.g., guest mode or one-tap access), and ensure key features are accessible within seconds. Use lightweight design and performance optimizations to account for network congestion, and prioritize instant-value actions such as location detection, pre-filled recommendations, and single-tap transactions.

Segment tourists and domestic users

Songkran draws together two distinct user groups with different behaviors. Use signals such as SIM status, device language, and location to differentiate between cohorts, and tailor messaging accordingly. Tourist-focused campaigns should emphasize utility and ease of use, while local campaigns can lean into promotions and habitual usage. 

Capture long-term value beyond the festival

Use the initial interaction during Songkran to enable future engagement. Prioritize early data capture, such as push opt-ins, account creation, and saved payment methods, to support re-engagement after the festival. Build follow-up campaigns based on travel behavior and location signals, and consider cross-market opportunities by targeting users as they move across regions.

As user activity moves quickly across phases, locations, and segments during Songkran, data becomes essential for mobile marketers to identify growth opportunities and respond effectively. This requires a unified view of performance across channels, devices, and touchpoints, along with the ability to act in real time. 

Adjust is designed to support this, providing visibility across the full user lifecycle and enabling faster, more informed decisions through real-time analytics, automation, and AI-powered insights. 

To learn more about how Adjust can support your app growth through key seasonal moments like Songkran and year-round, sign up for free or request a demo today.