Songkran 1-18 April This Year.

[Ulysses G.]

A friend called to tell me that the mayor of Chiang Mai has been involved in serious meetings about a 3 week Songran celebration this year and that the CM government is 85% sure that this measure will be passed.

Please tell me that this is rather nasty April fool's joke gone too far!

Edited March 30, 2007 by Ulysses G.

[Tywais]

Seems other's have noticed that too in this topic

[Ulysses G.]

Sorry, I'm in Bangkok/Pattaya doing my part to support the economy, so haven't been following TV every day.

However, my freind had a Thai with connections call the Mayors yesterday and was given the "85%" figure after that press release.

[Tywais]

Sorry, I'm in Bangkok/Pattaya doing my part to support the economy, so haven't been following TV every day.

However, my freind had a Thai with connections call the Mayors yesterday and was given the "85%" figure after that press release.

Just mentioned to my wife and her comment was "if anyone throws water on her before the normal songkrang they're going to regret it".

[Ulysses G.]

I hope that everyone thinks like she does!

[ajarnmark]

I seriously doubt about it, as there are no holidays during this time. Does this mean that if I am going to work, they can throw water on me?

There are two possible reasons for all these stories:

1. It would really happen. You can expect anything here in Thailand.

2. Its a mistake and they forgot to put 3 after 1, i.e. "Songkran April 13-18"

[toptuan]

Sorry, I'm in Bangkok/Pattaya doing my part to support the economy, so haven't been following TV every day.

However, my freind had a Thai with connections call the Mayors yesterday and was given the "85%" figure after that press release.

Just mentioned to my wife and her comment was "if anyone throws water on her before the normal songkrang they're going to regret it".

Just curious about where this threat is coming from, culturally: Is she Thai or farang?

If Thai, it gives me ammunition to reason that "If the Thai get upset, I have even more reason to feel the same way!"

[Tywais]

Just curious about where this threat is coming from, culturally: Is she Thai or farang?

If Thai, it gives me ammunition to reason that "If the Thai get upset, I have even more reason to feel the same way!"

She's Thai. I know several (Thais) at work who will be 'hiding' for the duration just like many of us farangs. Many Thais do get frustrated at the lost meaning of Songkrang and the 'overkill' that occurs in Chiangmai. Even a close colleague of mine at the university, a senior poo-yai, expresses similar thoughts (not the one's my wife has though) and will be holding up at home .

[toptuan]

Just curious about where this threat is coming from, culturally: Is she Thai or farang?

If Thai, it gives me ammunition to reason that "If the Thai get upset, I have even more reason to feel the same way!"

She's Thai. I know several (Thais) at work who will be 'hiding' for the duration just like many of us farangs. Many Thais do get frustrated at the lost meaning of Songkrang and the 'overkill' that occurs in Chiangmai. Even a close colleague of mine at the university, a senior poo-yai, expresses similar thoughts (not the one's my wife has though) and will be holding up at home .

My very first Songkran in Thailand, I made the grave mistake of doing a one-day, 140 km round-trip on my motorcycle, thinking "how could a few spray-showers of water be a problem on a hot day?" Somehow, I pictured the Pope tossing holy water at the faithful with his two fingers.

I was totally unprepared for what a one-gallon bucket, thrown in your face, at 60 kilometers-per-hour could do to a motorcyclist. Nearly lost my life (and control of the bike) twice on that day. When I got closer to my hometown, large chunks of ice were added to the water, and the impact bruised arms and legs. I tried finding back roads home, but they weren't exempt from the waylayers too. It was a complete nightmare.

Yup, holed up (or fleeing the country) is now my choice, too. Call me a party-pooper.

Edited March 30, 2007 by toptuan

[Toon Army]

Not sure where this fits into the timeline:

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/current/news.shtml#hd3

States "Mayor’s Office confirms Songkran set for April 12-17. The official starting date for Songkran is April 12 and will continue through April 17."

Makes more sense.

[whopper]

I got hit in the face with ice water, almost layed down my bike at 60kmh a day or two before songkran last year. crazy, stay off the roads or leave like me

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Yes, it's that time of the year when Chanchao talks about the scent of jasmine in the air...

[silverhawk_usa]

Believe this is coming from the mayors earlier ridiculous statements that if Songkran were moved up it would ease the dust and air pollution. I believe that plan was scrapped. But the above posts are correct, T.I.T. and this is Chiang Mai. Anything is possible (but not probable).

Also have suffered the bucket of water while riding a motorcycle at speed. After 4 years of being here for Songkran I just booked tickets for Singapore from 13th - 18th April.

Sorry for edit, but just read concurrent post with supposed official announcement. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=113673

Edited March 30, 2007 by silverhawk_usa

[mcgriffith]

Believe this is coming from the mayors earlier ridiculous statements that if Songkran were moved up it would ease the dust and air pollution. I believe that plan was scrapped. But the above posts are correct, T.I.T. and this is Chiang Mai. Anything is possible (but not probable).

Also have suffered the bucket of water while riding a motorcycle at speed. After 4 years of being here for Songkran I just booked tickets for Singapore from 13th - 18th April.

Sorry for edit, but just read concurrent post with supposed official announcement. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=113673

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1216531

First you set the entire country on fire, now you're gonna go on vacation?

[PeaceBlondie]

I've managed to avoid this CMai insanity until now, and am downright scared. I can just imagine me lying on my arse on the wet pavement, my 115-kilo bike lying on its side, and I'm trying to give the bucket of water-thrower a lecture on cultural insanities. When the dog bit me at Hua Hin, I yelled that the Lord Buddha hated that dog.

[kurtgruen]

Well, for those of you who heard that Songkran will start early this year in Chiang Mai City, you may be right. My wife and I went to Chiang Mai last Wednesday and they still had the big banners hanging up around the moat, proclaiming that the "water sports" will start on the first.

Will be interesting to see what will happen tomorrow.

Most of the Thai people will probably be at work, but if farangs figure it out, I think you will see a lot of stupidity and a lot of wet people.

The sad thing is that if they start early, a lot more people will probably die this year.

I knew there were some good reasons for moving out of the city.

[chanchao]

Yes, it's that time of the year when Chanchao talks about the scent of jasmine in the air...

Will be interesting to see what will happen tomorrow.

Nothing.

I for sure will only be celebrating 12-15 or so.

Still, to get in the seasonal spirit, some pics from last year.

http://www.nachang.com/songkran2006

Edited March 31, 2007 by chanchao

[ovenman]

It's already started out in the countryside... Had to run up to Mae Chan in Chiang Rai today and back. Returned to Chiang Mai via Highways 1089 and 107 (i.e. through Fang). Encountered maybe a half-dozen groups of kids throwing buckets of water at passing vehicles in Mae Ai, Fang, and Chai Prakan.

Edited April 1, 2007 by ovenman

[meadish_sweetball]

They always start early out in the boondocks, so that's nothing new for this year.

Anyone but me who intends to join the waterfight in the middle of town 13-15 April?

[PeaceBlondie]

They always start early out in the boondocks, so that's nothing new for this year.

Anyone but me who intends to join the waterfight in the middle of town 13-15 April?

Perhaps I and a friend from Bangkok will relent and consent and play water on one of those days.

I never made it all the way to Chai Prakhan. Is that a thriving metropolis filled with thousands of teenagers throwing water?

[ovenman]

I never made it all the way to Chai Prakhan. Is that a thriving metropolis filled with thousands of teenagers throwing water?

I must have blinked and missed that part.

I'd never been north of Chiang Dao on 107 until today. Nice, alternate way of going to Mae Sai, albeit a bit longer than the conventional Highway 118 and Highway 1 routing. I have to say that Fang was a bit bigger than I was expecting.

[chanchao]

> Anyone but me who intends to join the waterfight in

> the middle of town 13-15 April?

MEEEEEEE, MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE OF COURSE!!!

Have some friends visiting, some coming all the way from Singapore to join the festivities... With enough people together to have a big enough group I might be tempted again to source a truck and drive...

[Ulysses G.]

My wife and I went to Chiang Mai last Wednesday and they still had the big banners hanging up around the moat, proclaiming that the "water sports" will start on the first.

I want to participate in the WATER SPORTS!

[mcgriffith]

My wife and I went to Chiang Mai last Wednesday and they still had the big banners hanging up around the moat, proclaiming that the "water sports" will start on the first.

I want to participate in the WATER SPORTS!

Golden Water it is then for Ulysses G....

[bryuung]

I got wet Saturday evening at around 6 near the Red Lion by some farang kids as their parents watched and laughed.

[Crow Boy]

They always start early out in the boondocks, so that's nothing new for this year.

Anyone but me who intends to join the waterfight in the middle of town 13-15 April?

I will be having fun in the water as I do each year. Last year with a one year old it was a bit more difficult especially when two morons dumped a 10 gallon bucket of ice water on me as I was holding the baby - sorry to say I kind of lost it there At least after the first 30 seconds of me abusing them for their stupidity they had the good grace to apologise. I enjoy Songkran but we split it into three parts. In the morning we do the temple and build sand castles, make tambun etc, then we head into town and get wet witht he others, part way through the day my wife will go home with our son leaving me to continue with the mayhem then in the evening she will come back for the parades etc.

When I was in Samuii I missed Songkran but fortunately had a bunch of Isaan and northern girls who helped to make our little area of the island wet

CB

[chanchao]

> I will be having fun in the water as I do each year. Last year with a one year old

> it was a bit more difficult especially when two morons dumped a 10 gallon bucket

> of ice water on me as I was holding the baby -

There is absolutely no way I'm taking my kid out anywhere during Songkran. Perhaps a little bit in the garden to take some pictures, that's it.

But anyway, if we can get some people together and an old truck then we could have the beginnings of a plan.. The only issue is every time I borrow my mum-in-law's truck for Songkran I end up breaking something, for which I then have to pay just by myself. Usually I just break the aircon though, which is torture enough during Songkran.. (38 degrees and can't open the windows.. )

Cheers,

Chanchao

Edited April 2, 2007 by chanchao

[Crow Boy]

A friend called to tell me that the mayor of Chiang Mai has been involved in serious meetings about a 3 week Songran celebration this year and that the CM government is 85% sure that this measure will be passed.

Please tell me that this is rather nasty April fool's joke gone too far!

My wife (Thai) just called to tell me that a group of farung threw water at her as she was riding her bike with our 2 year old son on board. She was wearing her uniform (Silk) on the way to the Hotel where she works and not happy about it.

It's started already

CB

[WaiWai]

In the morning we do the temple and build sand castles, make tambun etc, then we head into town and get wet witht he others, part way through the day my wife will go home with our son leaving me to continue with the mayhem then in the evening she will come back for the parades etc.

Was wondering about this ... what are the New Year activties other than water-slinging ? Where do they take place, and when ?

[Crow Boy]

In the morning we do the temple and build sand castles, make tambun etc, then we head into town and get wet witht he others, part way through the day my wife will go home with our son leaving me to continue with the mayhem then in the evening she will come back for the parades etc.

Was wondering about this ... what are the New Year activties other than water-slinging ? Where do they take place, and when ?

The following is a subset of what I put up on our Website for work - it is like a "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" to all our customers - I actually cut off the last paragraph saying essentially that to make it less an advertisement

The text follows

SONGKRAN วันสงกรานต์

Songkran is the most important festival in Thailand, it is both a celebration for the Thai New Year and a chance to cool off in the hottest part of the year.

Songkran happens in the middle of April when the sun moves from the sign of Pisces into the the sign of Aries in the zodiac. In 2007 this will be on Friday 13th April. In Thailand this is called “Great Songkran Day” and has great spiritual significance to Thai Buddhists. On this day the Great Buddha statues are paraded in the streets and the people will offer flowers, scented water, and prayer for good fortune in the next year.

Most companies in Thailand will close for about a week around the Songkran festival to allow their workers time to travel home to their family. The Chavel Group will be closed for the period between 13 and 17th of April to allow our employees time off to celebrate.

All parts of Thailand celebrate Songkran but in the North and East it is celebrated with particular ferver because Songkran also means “water festival”. It is hot and dusty in the North and East at this time of year so we celebrate by turning out onto the streets and dousing everything and everyone with water. Cars and pickup trucks are decorated with white powder and then become mobile water stations as people drive around the streets throwing litterally millions of gallons of water at eachother.

Sonkran has three phases. On Day One everyone cleans their house, shop, apartment, and place of work to allow the spirits of the old year the opportunity to depart. At temples all over the country people visit their temple (wat) to build and decorate giant sand castles (stupas) for good luck. This is symbolic to return anything they may have accidentally taken from the temple over the previous year. Flags and pennants are flown from the top of the stupas. Shop owners will erect pratuu sa-wan “heavenly gates” made of bamboo and banana leaves around their doorway to welcome the Songkran spirit. Around these the owner and staff will arrange containers of water to pour over the hands of visitors as a blessing. Of course in the eternal Thai spirit of fun, pretty soon these containers are filled with ice and water and anyone within water throwing distance will be doused, bombed, flooded, or sluiced with buckets, pans, and high pressure water guns as the whole town turns into a water war zone. Walking around a city like Chiang Mai in the North is a potent mix of fun, water, and mayhem so the only option is to join in and smile like everyone else.

On Day Two public servants, schools, and companies mount a colourful parade with everyone wearing uniforms and local costumes, Thousands of visitors and locals form a crowd to watch the parade as each group tries to out do eachother and their previous years efforts.

On Day Three the Spirit of the New Year arrives and is welcomed into houses and shops with fruit and flower offerings. This is a day to relax and have fun

Meanwhile the water chaos continues on the street and as each day goes on it becomes more frenzied as everyone becomes determined to have fun. If you ever get the chance to visit Chiang Mai over the Songkran festival be prepared to have a lot of fun but don't bother about trying to stay dry.

Last paragraph deleted - text finishes

Hope this helps to give you an idea.

CB