Songkran

[Ulysses G.]

I used to love to stay in Chiang Mai for the Songkran water fight, but always felt that it went on too long, however, the older I get, the more likely to avoid most of it in Bangkok.

How about you?

Do you stay or go?

[adjan jb]

I used to love to stay in Chiang Mai for the Songkran water fight, but always felt that it went on too long, however, the older I get, the more likely to avoid most of it in Bangkok.

How about you?

Do you stay or go?

I don't like to stay in CM either. It's not fun anymore. Young people, whether Thai or Farang, become, year after year, more and more aggressive.

So my son and I go to places where Songkran is still celebrated in a festive and peaceful manner (Tha Ton, Phayao) and we have lots of fun.

[Crow Boy]

I used to love to stay in Chiang Mai for the Songkran water fight, but always felt that it went on too long, however, the older I get, the more likely to avoid most of it in Bangkok.

How about you?

Do you stay or go?

Songkran is definitely changing and not for the better. I usually spend one day around the moat with the rest of the farung then the next couple with my Thai family. The First day is a water fight, the next are water festival.

We also go to the temple and take part in the cultural aspects which is usually ignored or totally unknown to the western visitors who view it as a week of drunken bad behaviour with water.

[Maejo Man]

It's gone to the dogs, with far too many agressive young tourists not really knowing what it's all about at all. I have already booked my ticket out of the kingdom to more peaceful shores

[Rasseru]

I plan to get out of Thailand, or at least away from Chiangmai to more civilized realms, prompted only by one experience of songkran in Bangkok and stories of what it is like (now) here. From when till when does one need to be away to avoid it?

[malcy]

I used to love to stay in Chiang Mai for the Songkran water fight, but always felt that it went on too long, however, the older I get, the more likely to avoid most of it in Bangkok.

How about you?

Do you stay or go?

last year i was sat in the bier stube having some breakfast about 3 rows back from the door when in ran some halfwit australian complete with backpack water canon ,who then proceeded to soak everyone . ( not a slur on aussies ) well donr on the ashes .

these idiots just ruin the whole song kran thing for me .

later that night about 8pm dark i was on a bus going out for the evening with my wife son and my wifes family when some braindead c**t throws a bucket of water over us . hopefully he got run down or at least fitted up for heroin.

i for one will be getting out of town probably up to the dam for a week lovely

[Briggsy]

Every year (now I'm no longer a handsome young man) I book my leave and a flight to another country over Songkran. I used to enjoy it but there are too many downsides now. In particular, the sexual assaults on women are so repulsive.

[meadish_sweetball]

later that night about 8pm dark i was on a bus going out for the evening with my wife son and my wifes family when some braindead c**t throws a bucket of water over us .

I noticed similar things last year as well. Many noobs, especially farang, simply dont understand it's time to quit when the sun goes down.

[up-country_sinclair]

far too many agressive young tourists not really knowing what it's all about at all.

true, but young thais are also increasingly agressive.

i'm definitely leaving chiang mai for songkran.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

far too many agressive young tourists not really knowing what it's all about at all.

true, but young thais are also increasingly agressive.

i'm definitely leaving chiang mai for songkran.

also a good time to hunker down and stay inside. Read a few books. watch movies. catch up on administrative stuff. go on a diet. Its really only 5 days of inconvenience if you avoid the old city.

[Ulysses G.]

Last year, I was innocently walking down Sukhumvit road about 8 PM in the evening after everyone had stopped playing about 6 PM when some young twit came up from behind me and dumped a water bottle on my head and started laughing.

He didn't find it so amusing when I slung a bunch of dirty dish water from a near-bye food cart in his face.

Edited January 12, 2007 by Ulysses G.

[Briggsy]

Now's the time to be buying your plane tickets. I've got mine already. As you all know, the flights are heavily booked around Songkran.

[BlackArtemis]

I love it, this will be year #3 for me. It is my favorite holiday.

but I will be 25 at the time of songkran. I also have a bit more knowledge about how things work than the average tourist.

Ie I play 10am-5pm

Never hit someone who looks dressed up for work (or dinner depending the time)

Don't hit bikes with little kids on them

and if you see breasts under a white shirt don't go to investigate cause they ain't real.

so if you go out you might see me. I wear a devils mask with "in thai" White Devil written on it. It;s a lot of fun for the Thai people to get me while I dress up like that.

[lannarebirth]

I love it, this will be year #3 for me. It is my favorite holiday.

but I will be 25 at the time of songkran. I also have a bit more knowledge about how things work than the average tourist.

Ie I play 10am-5pm

Never hit someone who looks dressed up for work (or dinner depending the time)

Don't hit bikes with little kids on them

and if you see breasts under a white shirt don't go to investigate cause they ain't real.

so if you go out you might see me. I wear a devils mask with "in thai" White Devil written on it. It;s a lot of fun for the Thai people to get me while I dress up like that.

Last year I saw some stupid Songkran revellers throwing water at motorbikes. The motorbikes usually slow down because water is really heavy and destabilizes the motorbike. Anyway. this particular motorbike had a 18 wheel dumptruck behind it. AThe dumptruck jacknives and loses control, with half of it turned 90 degress to the road and stupid people running everywhere. No one died that time, but about 30 people almost died. You say you're 25? Well, grow up.

[PhilHarries]

later that night about 8pm dark i was on a bus going out for the evening with my wife son and my wifes family when some braindead c**t throws a bucket of water over us .

I noticed similar things last year as well. Many noobs, especially farang, simply dont understand it's time to quit when the sun goes down.

I didn't vote because it's specifically targetted at CM (I lived in Pattaya) and I'm currently out of Kingdom so not really relevant.

However, it's saddening to see the same kind of behaviour that made me fcukin' hate Songkhran in Pattaya has permeated through to Chiang Mai, I feel for you guys up there.

I used to enjoy the day, respectful and traditional bit early morning followed by the rest of the day being an idiot (within bounds). But last time I was in Patters for Songkhran by the end of the last day I felt like that vulture in the Gary Larson cartoon "To hel_l with patience I'm gonna kill something".

But there'll be those who would say "get a life you boring old sod" or similar. And to those I'd say "thanks but I've got a life, one that (hopefully) displays respect and restraint to others especially strangers".

PS I'd vote to either get out into the country or out of the country completely.

PPS There's a couple of bars here in KL that do the Songkhran thing. To be avoided.

[Ajarn]

Songkran is fun, but, for me, not in town. Too much of everything; wild farangs and Thais, tons of traffic, drunkards...

Every year, I spend one day in town just to make sure I've made a good choice.. Then on the other days, I'm in out in the villages, where there are fewer people, and much fewer hassles. In the evenings, I'm back out in the villages to enjoy the soi parties and such.

I don't drink, and I can't really throw much water... From my experience, it is the villages which offer me the best show

[BlackArtemis]

Last year I saw some stupid Songkran revellers throwing water at motorbikes. The motorbikes usually slow down because water is really heavy and destabilizes the motorbike. Anyway. this particular motorbike had a 18 wheel dumptruck behind it. AThe dumptruck jacknives and loses control, with half of it turned 90 degress to the road and stupid people running everywhere. No one died that time, but about 30 people almost died. You say you're 25? Well, grow up.

While all accidents are unfortunate there is no need to get all high and mighty and tell me to grow up. Sorry but I plan on having fun during songkran for many years to come with hundreds of thousands of other Thai and farang varying in ages from 3-60.

[Cyberstar]

I'll hold the fort - business as usual, but busier.

[chanchao]

I LOVE Songkran. I specifically DONT leave CHiang Mai even though it's the biggest holiday period and the crappest weather.

[fanciman]

It is too much.

Having read on this forum a bit about what happens in crowds, i would prefer to just stay in all day, if possible.

[Blinky Bill]

Last year I saw some stupid Songkran revellers throwing water at motorbikes. The motorbikes usually slow down because water is really heavy and destabilizes the motorbike. Anyway. this particular motorbike had a 18 wheel dumptruck behind it. AThe dumptruck jacknives and loses control, with half of it turned 90 degress to the road and stupid people running everywhere. No one died that time, but about 30 people almost died. You say you're 25? Well, grow up.

While all accidents are unfortunate there is no need to get all high and mighty and tell me to grow up. Sorry but I plan on having fun during songkran for many years to come with hundreds of thousands of other Thai and farang varying in ages from 3-60.

BANGKOK, April 15 (TNA) - The death toll in road accidents nationwide during the Songkran festival holiday from April 7-14 reached 393 on Friday, while the number of those injured was recorded at 4,979.

Anucha Mokkhavasa, Director General of the Interior Ministry's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, said that on April 14 alone, the eighth day of the Songkran festival, there were 699 road accidents with 50 deaths and 780 persons injured, lower than earlier predicted.

Mr. Anucha, in his capacity as the National Road Safety Command Centre Secretary, said drunken driving remained the main cause of the accidents, with 43.49 per cent of the overall tally, followed by excessive speed or 19.60 per cent overall.

Motorcycles are involved in 86.43 per cent of the total road accidents.

The total number of roadway accidents from April 7-14 stood at 4,435, resulting in 393 persons dead and 4,979 injured.

Statistically, the northern province of Chiang Rai reported the most accidents and the northern province of Phitsanulok recorded the highest number of fatalities at 16, followed by the northeastern of Nakhon Ratchasima, the central province of Lopburi and the eastern province of Rayong.

Only five provinces have been casualty-free so far, including Trat, Pattani, Phrae, Ranong and Samut Songkhram. [...]

[john b good]

Four out of the last five Songkran's I have been out of the realm.

The last one that I here (3-4 years back) was very enjoyable and spent at the "inlaw's" village out of town.

That said if I am in Thailand this year I will stock up with all the necessary's and most likely hole up at home.

A great festival completely f%$£*d up by a bunch of brain dead tourists and local cretins.

One thing though, it does help to keep the population numbers in check.

Edited January 13, 2007 by john b good

[Thug]

I really worry the amount of water being wasted within these days

[Blinky Bill]

Four out of the last five Songkran's I have been out of the realm.

The last one that I here (3-4 years back) was very enjoyable and spent at the "inlaw's" village out of town.

That said if I am in Thailand this year I will stock up with all the necessary's and most likely hole up at home.

A great festival completely f%$£*d up by a bunch of brain dead tourists and local cretins.

One thing though, it does help to keep the population numbers in check.

JBG you forgot to mention some <deleted> farang who wears a devils mask with "in thai" White Devil written on it.

[BlackArtemis]

JBG you forgot to mention some <deleted> farang who wears a devils mask with "in thai" White Devil written on it.

That's fine if you feel that I act a little immature or outside of your notion of what is OK. But I have never felt the need to make any posts to name call or reference someone in a derogatory manner.

[Ulysses G.]

Don't be overly sensitive.

Blinky Bill doesn't mean to be nasty, he just can't resist the opportunity to take the piss.

[BlackArtemis]

Don't be overly sensitive.

Blinky Bill doesn't mean to be nasty, he just can't resist the opportunity to take the piss.

Taking a piss is fine, but I just didn't want to return fire, I already have enough people telling me to grow up before I do so

Edited January 14, 2007 by BlackArtemis

[princealbert]

First year in Changers so lookin forward to Songkran this year.

What are the dates ?

[Ulysses G.]

The official days are 13, 14 and 15 April, but it can go on for a week or more depending on the circumstances.

[terrymor66]

One time was enough for me Now I enjoy the time going out of town to the wifes village. Much truer to the culture and what it is supposed to be about !