When Singapore announced it planned on having a Songkran festival, a Thailand Tourism Authority exec threatened to sue them. As if we owned a festival that is already widely celebrated throughout the region. In a bizarre twist, Singapore's water fest has just announced it won't feature any water, but it's not the TAT's threats that caused the change.

The organizers of Celebrate Songkran 2014 at the Padang today announced that there will not be any water-related activities on April 12 or 13 this year due to their participation in a national campaign to conserve water. Instead, they will host a Water Conservation and Water Heritage Exhibition in conjunction with the national water agency.

Even though the fun of splashing and shooting water at one other is no more, festival-goers can still get a taste of Thailand with a bazaar, carnival, muay Thai tournament and music festival (putting the "song" on Songkran, perhaps). One thing looks certain, Singapore's "Singkran" will be a whole lot less messy than the Songkran we know and love.

Nice try Singapore, but maybe next year.