Govt to permit Songkran revellers to ride in pickup beds

By JESSADA CHANTARARAK 
THE NATION 

 

 

SONGKRAN revellers will welcome news that the government will relax its ban to allow them to splash water from the beds of pickups this year.

 

The water festival in mid-April, the hottest month of the year, is known worldwide. One tradition sees people armed with water guns and buckets of water ride in the beds of pickups to splash water on passing vehicles and people.

 

 

However, last year the government banned the activity citing safety concerns for passengers at greater risk of injury in accidents.

 

However this year, deputy city police commissioner Pol Lt-General Panurat Lakboon said the ban would be relaxed, although drivers of vehicles were told to follow traffic laws.

 

 

“This year, the government will allow people to sit in the back of pickups and enjoy the water festival. However, we recommend that drivers of vehicles do not travel over the speed limit to prevent road accidents,” Panurat said.

 

The relaxation will cover those who would travel back to their home province in the bed of a pickup. Panurat warned that passengers were still banned from drinking alcohol. 

 

 

“We would like to ask cooperation from women and transvestites to refrain from wearing revealing costumes as this could be against the law and punishable by a fine of Bt5,000,” he said.

 

During the festival, which officially runs from April 13 to 15, police will implement special-enforcement areas in nine places that will be crowded with more than 2,000 revellers.

 

They are Lumpini Park, where 70,000 people are expected; Silom Road, 60,000; Khao San Road, 30,000; Asiatique the Riverfront, 15,000; Na Na Songkran Festival, 10,000; Patpong and Thaniya roads, 8,000; CentralWorld and Siam Square, each 5,000; and Chokchai 4 Road, 2,000. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30342045

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-30

27 minutes ago, webfact said:

Govt to permit Songkran revellers to ride in pickup beds

A more realistic headline would have been;

 

"Govt can't stop Songkran revelers from riding in pick up beds"

 

Every year we see these pompous, unrealistic announcements and every year I see the Thai people simply ignore them; it is one of the reasons that I like living here. 

 

 

"We would like to ask cooperation from women and transvestites to refrain from wearing revealing costumes"

Because....?

The time of year when fortunes of undertakers and panelbeaters soar!

I can remember my 1st Songkran celebration years ago on Khao San Road. The atmosphere reminded me of the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I was walking with the crowd when everyone stopped and looked up at a young lady standing on a 2nd story balcony. She raised her top up over her breasts and the crowd roared. A young Thai man standing next to me, yelled in my ear ‘Katoey’. I yelled back ‘I like’.

 

He looked at me with an odd expression. Only later did I find out what that word meant…

What this spokesman really said:

We have absolutely no idea about how to control the crowd....

No surprises here....

9 days of ''Thunder Dome''.....

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

A more realistic headline would have been;

 

"Govt can't stop Songkran revelers from riding in pick up beds"

 

Every year we see these pompous, unrealistic announcements and every year I see the Thai people simply ignore them; it is one of the reasons that I like living here. 

 

 

this whole government effort was just hot air; them reminding us: 'we can {try to} tell you what to do'

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Govt to permit Songkran revellers to ride in pickup beds

In the same way they allow the sun to rise, they don't have any choice

"SONGKRAN revellers will welcome news that the government will relax its ban to allow them to splash water from the beds of pickups this year."

 

Because nothing can make riding in the bed of pickup safer than being rip roaring drunk. Oh wait. It is illegal to drink alcohol. We all know how strict that ban will be enforced. Time to hand out the red clown noses to the law enforcers.

Edited March 30, 20188 yr by jaltsc

3 hours ago, InMyShadow said:

"We would like to ask cooperation from women and transvestites to refrain from wearing revealing costumes"

Because....?

....it will upset the Ministry of Culture and have an adverse effect on national reputation.

Thai people like party!

5 hours ago, webfact said:

However this year, deputy city police commissioner Pol Lt-General Panurat Lakboon said the ban would be relaxed, although drivers of vehicles were told to follow traffic laws.

Why........They never do any other time.......

 

In a country where politics is banned, opposition is sedition, meeting of more than 5 is illegal, slave labour still exists and corruption is rampant I find it alarming that killing oneself and others on the road is apparently no problem. Thailand, where the human 'right' to dangerous driving is condoned by govt.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Govt to permit Songkran revellers to ride in pickup beds

Forgot to say: ride in pickup bed at high speed.

Really ? They always ride in the back of pick ups, come Songkran or whatever special day of the year. Does the givernment really think they can stop them from throwing water wherever they want ? Just make-believe  nonsense as per usual.

Saw loads of people riding in them regularly a few weeks ago going to Koh Chang. Madness. 

Growing up, riding in the back of pickup trucks constantly sometimes driving fast sometimes driving slow Country Roads and in the city it was commonplace. It's just now that everybody has their nose and everyone else's safety / business and consider themselves the world expert on how to solve problems in a country where they are a GUEST.

 

It is same as inviting someone to your house and having some big loud mouth tell you how to cook your dinner, arrange your furniture, what to the watch on the Telly..  Etc. Annoying Kuntz to say the least.

So let me get that straight: 8 people in the back of a pick up truck...a- okay!

8 people on the back of a pick up truck, shooting water- guns or splashing buckets of water...a danger to society!

 

Got it!

Whats different. I see it all of the time here.!!