‘Official’ Songkran events canceled, but Pattaya’s water wars likely will go on

[Rimmer]

‘Official’ Songkran events canceled, but Pattaya’s water wars likely will go on

 

PATTAYA:--Pattaya’s government-sponsored Songkran celebrations have been canceled as a precaution against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, but the week-long Thai New Year’s water party will be hard to stop.

 

Tabloids and online blogs splashed clickbait headlines across the internet March 5 shouting that “Songkran is Canceled!”, but come April 12 Pattaya could be just as wet as usual. Tourists wanting to come to splash and party probably won’t be deterred.

 

Songkran in Pattaya this year might look similar to what it did in April 2017 when Pattaya did not cancel the April 18 and 19 “wan lai” water-throwing parties in Naklua and Pattaya, but did do all it could to tone down the event – to little success.

 

Starting in February 2017, officials campaigned to preserve the traditions and cultural heritage of Songkran by encouraging tourists to wear Thai floral clothing, fully cover up, and play gently with water with no powder.

 

Read more: https://www.pattayamail.com/news/official-songkran-events-canceled-but-pattayas-water-wars-likely-will-go-on-290436

-- PATTAYA MAIL 2020-03-08—

[Justgrazing]

1 hour ago, Rimmer said:

heritage of Songkran by encouraging tourists to wear Thai floral clothing, fully cover up, and play gently with water with no powder

Floral clothing .! Might be better wearing an NBC suit this year as the silliness will continue unabated .. 

No powder .! Is that the sort people put up their hooters or the type one powder's one's boatrace with .. Either way neither'll be much good when wet .. I should imagine .. 

[AllThaiedUp]

Dirty water and ice is bliss. Let the games begin!

[Greenhill]

So, once again, a Thai official is talking meaningless nonsense!!  Songkran is banned but it's impossible  to enforce the ban!!!   Why do they bother to speak, in the 1st place??

[scubascuba3]

Maybe spread the news...that it will increase the chance of getting and spreading corona, surely that will stop them?

[NCC1701A]

"I just came from Italy. Open your mouth for some virus. And you and you too."

"OK Farang man thank you. Here is some South Korean Little Ghost virus for you."

 

[Golden Triangle]

One would hope that with all official events cancelled and perhaps a ban on the water tankers and suchlike then any public enthusiasm would dissipate and people would just enjoy their time off.

 

A case of wait & see I suppose, not that I get involved anyway, it's pretty quiet out here on the darkside. ???? 

[aussienam]

Who is going to come here and risk getting COVID19 during Songkran etc when there is NO travel insurance cover now for COVID19?

If you get it and end up seriously ill in a Thai hospital you will be looking at 10s to 100s of thousands of dollars in medical bills.  

Until travel insurers lift the ban on COVID19 cover then tourists run a higher risk.  That's got to cause massive cancellations and postponements to travel overseas anywhere.

I think Songkran will just be for the Thais this year.  Not a bad thing anyway if it is kept low key. 

Edited March 8, 2020 by aussienam

[cyril sneer]

The figures show coronavirus isn’t a problem in Thailand 

[Geoffggi]

The mayor is obviously torn between saving face on the official stance and the saving face with his business friends, obviously no backbone and unable to stand up and be counted as being responsible for the welfare of the city residents. 

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

One would hope that with all official events cancelled and perhaps a ban on the water tankers and suchlike then any public enthusiasm would dissipate and people would just enjoy their time off.

Stay at home with a few beers and a BBQ would be a more advisable official notice..
 

[mikebell]

19 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Maybe spread the news...that it will increase the chance of getting and spreading corona, surely that will stop them?

We're talking mercenary Thais and boy-farangs here.  The Wet T-shirt competition will take place unabated, Pattaya having no law-enforcement agency.

[Postmaster]

Greenhill yes but the announcement included cancellation of official City sponsored events. Cheers

[drbeach]

Can always head to Laos for water splashing if you wish. Nothing seems to be cancelled over there.

[Foghorn]

If they want to cancel it ,close the water or get one of the things all other countries have         A working police force

Edited March 9, 2020 by Foghorn

[ubon farang]

Let then games begin Thais will not stop at anything (even red lights ) haha Its all about getting drunk for a week and not working and throwing water. Oh and mass slaughter on the roads Last year over 300 dead see if they can beat that record

[skorp13]

Maybe if the media stopped putting " the water wars will likely go on" and leave it to : they have been cancelled and will be enforced" they may just cooperate. Then again....maybe pigs will fly LOL.

[kwan]

....

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, bahtboy said:

If bars allow water games at their premises and supply water to the imbeciles to play with, then surely all that needs to be done is to get the Water Authority to turn off their supply.....simple.

While there are taps, usually on each side of the meter, there isn't the means to lock them off ... the usual remedy for non payers is the  meter is removed. These meters also get stolen by construction outfits so many are in a block of concrete. 

[Bell1234]

Strange how all bars can be stopped selling alcohol for Holidays but they can't turn the water off in the same bars hmmmm

[jacko45k]

11 minutes ago, bahtboy said:

What about cutting an area off?

Areas can certainly be isolated, but that was not the scenario I was replying to.... it was discussing individual bars who were allowing water games. . 

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, bahtboy said:

So, if not possible to cut off individual premises, if it gets out of hand in an area, the solution would be to cut off the water supply to the affected area.

I suspect a chain and a padlock could do the job, but I don't know if the utility is geared up to do that in too many places. Also removing the meter if they can. 

I always wished they would cut the complete city's supply at Songkran, water seemed to get shut off in the evening on the 19th to quieten things down.

Edited March 12, 2020 by jacko45k