When Are The Shops Closed During Songkran ?

[Wizzard of Oz]

You heard me

[jdinasia]

which 'shops'?

and where?

Edited April 3, 2007 by jdinasia

[colinm]

During Songkran the shops are closed during Songkran

[altman]

those which are absolutely essential for your survival or well-being: banks, government offices, pharmacies, hospitals, etc will be closed at the time you need them the most.

plan any emergencies well in advance.

[realthaideal]

Everything just kind of grinds to a halt so everyone can screw around with water or hide in their houses. I do a little of both. If you do any biz with Thais, it's best to wrap things up asap as they will be very unserious about getting stuff done for about 2 weeks around Songkran. Best to do the same yourself, really.

[WaiWai]

Surely the hospitals don't close ?

Citylife magazine (and presumably the online version, too) has a schedule for some Songkran events, by the way.

[WaiWai]

Date: 1st- 16th April

It’s our Songkran New Year festivities! Culture vultures get ready for a heady smorgasbord of traditional events and party animals get ready for the biggest party of the year. Offices, banks and the government shut down between 13th-15th April, so get your shopping and business done or you will be stuck in soaking traffic unable to move for three days. Otherwise, put on your mor hom, grab a bucket of water and have fun!

Songkran Schedule

Some activities to be held during the Songkran festival are listed below.

1st, 8th and 11th -15th April – Celebration of Chiang Mai’s 711th Anniversary at the Walking Street on Tha Pae and Ratchadamnoen Rd.

1st -3rd April – Buddha image bathing ceremony at Wat Chiang Man.

7th -9th April – Bathing ceremony for the main chedi at Wat Chiang Yuen.

8th April - Contest of Royal Lanna drums at the area in front of the Three Kings Monument from 8a.m. – 4 p.m.

11th-12th April - Local singing contest at Three Kings Monument from 6 – 10 p.m.

12th April - Offering food to Buddhist monks - Alms and Merit Making Celebration of Chiang Mai’s 711th Anniversary at the Three Kings Monument from 6-8 a.m.

11th – 15th April – Lanna Art: Jour and Tung Festival at Wat Intakhin (the city’s sadue) from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

11th – 15th April – Traditional sand pagoda building, traditional blessings contest, local Lanna, Tung at Wat Jed Rin from 8 a.m. to 9.30 p.m.

11th – 16th April - A fair and variety of religious ceremonies at Wat Sri Supan from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

11th – 15th April – Traditional singing contest at Wat Phra Singh from 7- 10 p.m.

10th -14th April – Lanna local contests, Miss Friendship contest, Miss Songkran contest from 7 p.m. to midnight at Tha Pae Gate.

15th April – Merit making for Thai New Year 2007 at Tha Pae gate from 6-8 a.m.

15th April – Parade of pretty ladies holding umbrellas and riding bicycles at Nawarat Bridge to Tha Pae gate from 7 – 12 a.m.

Songkran at Kad Suan Kaew

Date: 12th -15th April

In front of Kad Suan Kaew department Store (Map: C3)

call 053-224444 ext 19004, 19015.

Each year, an area in front of Kad Suan Kaew is packed with young teenagers gathering to enjoy the water splashing war and dance to the music. This year, enjoy the Songkran festival on all 4 days at Kad Suan Kaew free of charge. The Buddha image will be placed in front of the department store to allow Buddhists and visitors to bathe the statue to gain merit in accordance with Thai beliefs, from 11th – 16th April.

Chiang Mai International Arts and Culture Festival

Date: 1st to 9th April

At the area in front of the Three King Monuments (Map: D3)

Call 053-248604, 302500 and TAT Call Centre 1672, www.chiangmaiart 2007.com

This annual festival, fully promoted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, will be held from 1st to 9th April. Many cultural festivals and activities are incorporated in the festival to promote Lanna heritage to foreigners. Schedules of the festival are below:

1st April – Festival opening, fon tian performance and the performance from the Royal Navy’s symphony orchestra and its guest Radklao Amaradit.

2nd April - performance from the College of Dramatic Arts, Chiang Mai.

3rd April - performance from the College of Dramatic Arts, Supanburi.

4th April - performance from the College of Dramatic Arts, Roi-et.

5th April - performance from the College of Dramatic Arts, Phatthalung.

6th April – Japanese cultural performance and Lao cultural performance

7th April – Puppet show from the Chiang Mai-based Hobby Hut Puppet. Troupe and Krabong Lao Troup from Vientiane, concert by ETC, Wiyada Komarakul na Nakorn, Jennifer Kim, Koh Mr. Saxman and Ford Sobchai.

8th April - Puppet show from the Chiang Mai-based Hobby Hut Puppet Troupe and Krabong Lao Troup from Vientiane.

9th April – performance from Suntraporn band and Chiang Mai ballroom dance.

Many festivals are also arranged simultaneously as parts of the Chiang Mai International Arts and Culture Festival including:

- Poi Sang Long festival at Wat Pa Pao from 4th – 6th April.

- Lanna Culture Conservation Fair at the Lanna Wisdom School from 5th – 8th April.

- Larb (northern minced pork salad) fair at Kad Suan Kaew Department Store on 7th April.

- The Wisdom of Lanna Arts and Craftsmen’s Fair at the CMU art museum from 1st – 4th April.

The fair at the Three Kings Monument will also offer various activities such as art markets, kad mua (traditional Lanna market) puppets workshop (taught by Wilawan Swetsenee). Neighbouring countries will also join the fair to share their culture and arts, such as Asian exchange students from CMU and a Lao cultural group. The fair will run from 7 to 10 p.m.

Cut & pasted from Citylife online. (Gather that's o.k., as someone else pasted their article on pollution in this forum.)

[altman]

Surely the hospitals don't close ?

Citylife magazine (and presumably the online version, too) has a schedule for some Songkran events, by the way.

well i'm not sure i'd place much reliance on city life magazine as they still have not contacted me regarding the 'free' book they've promised me.

[dyinganimal]

Altman, we have tons of books to give away. As it says in the magazine, just contact [email protected], that or you can come in and choose from the stack.

Before criticisng us it might be better to contact us, don't you think?

I have checked all my past emails, searching Altman, free books, give away books and i cannot find an email from someone claiming to want a book, and i can assure you that we have never talked regarding free books.

Come in anytime or send me your address and i'll send you a book.

[Ulysses G.]

Some shops close and some don't. Gecko Books closes all the days of the waterfight because books and water don't mix.

Some of our competitors try to stay open until they figure out that all the potential customers are either "playing water", and not book shopping, or locked safely in their rooms for 5-7 days. Anyway, they usually end up closing up pretty quickly after we do.

[altman]

Altman, we have tons of books to give away. As it says in the magazine, just contact [email protected], that or you can come in and choose from the stack.

Before criticisng us it might be better to contact us, don't you think?

I have checked all my past emails, searching Altman, free books, give away books and i cannot find an email from someone claiming to want a book, and i can assure you that we have never talked regarding free books.

Come in anytime or send me your address and i'll send you a book.

see this thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=109846

this has been going on since february. i have sent several emails to addresses listed in the magazine, and to [email protected], an address going directly to the editor and recommended, (by you?), in the above thread link. i still have not received any response.

i can also guarantee that we have never talked regarding free books. but i can also guarantee that i have made numerous attempts to initiate that conversation.

rather than blaming the messenger, me, for your failure to live up to your promises you might want to ask yourself why it is necessary for it to have reached a point of public debate and do an investigation into your own operation.

i will send new email to [email protected]. let's see how well that one works.

i have found emails that i have sent to:

editor@ chiangmaicitylife.com

[email protected]

info@ chiangmaicitylife.com

i think there were a couple of others, which if i try, i might be able to find as well.

[JuniorExPat]

James/dyinganimal, Mr Angry/altman -

An overactive spam-filter somewhere along the route?

JxP