What's Happened to Songkran in Chiang Mai?

[connda]

3 hours ago, cmsally said:

Personally I think its rather sad when people have to go to some generic boring shopping mall to celebrate a cultural festival.

But maybe it is indicative of what has happened to the culture.

 

The concept of enclosed, relatively purified, air conditioned spaces without water being thrown isn't lost on everyone <laughs> 

Edited April 16, 2018 by connda

[cmsally]

24 minutes ago, connda said:

The concept of enclosed, relatively purified, air conditioned spaces without water being thrown isn't lost on everyone <laughs> 

Celebrating "non Songkran", the antithesis of Songkran. Of course that can be celebrated any day of the year.

[nickmondo]

maybe the tourists are not coming due to the ridiculous and un justified strength of the Thai Baht which makes the exchange rate useless.  And maybe the air quality is stopping people also.  It really is not rocket science.  Well, its easy to understand for those of us with a bit of common sense!

Oh, and maybe the amount of untrained, unsupervised drunken drivers have something to do with it also, and the ever increasing death toll on the Thai roads.

But it is part of the Thai way of life, and will never change, so if you dont like it, stay indoors!  

[Trujillo]

What is the intention of those standing by the roadside on a major highway, such as on the way to Doi Saket (Chiang Rai road) and seeing a motorcyclist coming at 60 or 70kph and running out and tossing a full, large bucket of water directly into your face? 

 

Is this welcoming the new year? A kindly tradition? 

 

Or is this a hopeful gesture to make the motorcyclist fall off this bike resulting in injury and, in the best-case scenario, death? 

This seems like assault with intent to do grave bodily harm, regardless of the holiday. 

 

Or do I just not "get it"? 

[sanemax]

12 hours ago, Barley said:

I think the Americans particularly took to making other people wet.
Saw one US girl stand in front of a house for hours with a hose putting it on to people really bad (including me).

The Japanese didnt throw any water .

My neighbour is Japanese and he didnt throw any water real good/bad (including/excluding me)

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Trujillo said:

What is the intention of those standing by the roadside on a major highway, such as on the way to Doi Saket (Chiang Rai road) and seeing a motorcyclist coming at 60 or 70kph and running out and tossing a full, large bucket of water directly into your face? 

 

Is this welcoming the new year? A kindly tradition? 

 

Or is this a hopeful gesture to make the motorcyclist fall off this bike resulting in injury and, in the best-case scenario, death? 

This seems like assault with intent to do grave bodily harm, regardless of the holiday. 

 

Or do I just not "get it"? 

Road safety here isn't great for two-wheeled vehicles at the best of times. During Songkhran, it's atrocious. My defence is to only use my car.

It's the people, falangs and Thais, who endanger bike riders using the excuse of a festival, that don't get it. Perhaps if motorcyclists who were injured as a result of water thrown started suing the perpetrators things might change.

[heybruce]

I only did a little spot-checking; the crowds around ThaPae and the moat looked healthy.  Not as wild as before the 2014 crackdown on having fun, but not bad compared to last year.

[Jeffkp]

I suspect that for westerners, Songkarn is a one time event. That is, if you attended once, then no need to repeat. I went one year and I enjoyed it, but once was enough. I live in CM and now just chill in my condo.

I spoke to a friend yesterday who drives a tuk tuk and he noted that the crowds were thinner this year. I wonder if the extreme heat may have played a factor?

[hobz]

On 4/16/2018 at 9:37 AM, tigerbeer said:

festivities are now held in many different places now. festival, maya etc etc etc. i would think crowd would be the same. just not at the same locations. but fewer thais maybe from other provinces. 

This.

The festivities have moved from kad Suan kaew and thapae gate to mainly Maya and CentralFestival.

 

Previous years traffic was completely still around the moat due to thapae being where everyone went.

[Cheesekraft]

Everything is shutting down early, and the air is extremely dangerous (well over 200 aqi during songkran). No surprise.

 

[Justfine]

On 16/04/2018 at 1:26 PM, daoyai said:

the "culture" is rubbish, techno crap at absurd volume .... was at the night bazaar on Friday night and in front of the D2 was a traditional band playing cool old Thai instruments, so refreshing... wish there was more of that.

Youth thing. Modern music is rubbish.

[JaseTheBass]

Retard dieback.

Sent from my R2D2 droid using my C3P0 manservant

[Justfine]

1 minute ago, JaseTheBass said:

Retard dieback.

Sent from my R2D2 droid using my C3P0 manservant
 

Is that a band?

[meechai]

On 4/15/2018 at 8:30 PM, nickmondo said:

maybe the tourists are not coming due to the ridiculous and un justified strength of the Thai Baht which makes the exchange rate useless.  And maybe the air quality is stopping people also.  It really is not rocket science.  Well, its easy to understand for those of us with a bit of common sense!

Oh, and maybe the amount of untrained, unsupervised drunken drivers have something to do with it also, and the ever increasing death toll on the Thai roads.

But it is part of the Thai way of life, and will never change, so if you dont like it, stay indoors!  

 

It is as you say the high baht,bad air, road deaths

Also believe it or not some folks just don't want to go to a country that is under Junta rule

Plus there has been an awful lot of bad press in recent years about murders/beatings

 

It is of course different if you live in CM or anywhere in Thailand but for tourist in recent years so many

other good values in other great vacation spots have opened up too.

 

[BRMC]

On 4/16/2018 at 9:37 AM, tigerbeer said:

festivities are now held in many different places now. festival, maya etc etc etc. i would think crowd would be the same. just not at the same locations. but fewer thais maybe from other provinces. 

I'd agree with this. I don't think it's any less, just seems like it if you're used to wandering around inside the moat. Central Festival, Maya and One Nimman were all jam-packed. Must be where the cool kids hang out nowadays