Sonkran Status In Pattaya

[Phil Conners]

Has the lager louts started their manic crazy water mayhem or is it still safe to venture into town on bike?

[loong]

no sign yet, but won't be long for sure

[fat boy slim]

I was in town today and saw loads of girls going round selling those big water guns.

I don't know where I will be going this year, but it won't be here

[begsaresponse]

no sign yet, but won't be long for sure

I spotten two pickup trucks around 3 p.m. today with the usual bin of water on the back getting ready to soak as many as possible.

If you are brave enough to go out, be prepared to be wet, very wet. And don't swallow any of that dirty water.

Put your wallet and other important things in a polly bag.

[bazmlb]

saw some farang at C4 buying about six large soakers yesterday, so its not far away

[BIGJIMMY]

Muppets - the lot of'em.

Mr Bigjimmy

[monty]

Just came back from my daily shopping routine in Pattaya, and several pickups loaded with drunk people and a big jar of water were already prowling the streets...10 am...

Most seemed to be Bangkok plates though, so visitors from outside Pattaya...

Will not improve methinks, and watching the skies over Mabprachan, it looks like mother Nature is going to unleash her version of songkran

[johnh101]

I am so glad I am not there.

[thaiflyer1]

Cut through from 3rd road to soi boukhao (soi lengkee) at 6pm last night and the girls were outside one of the bars throwing water over everyone on bikes...............not my idea of fun i/m afraid.

Edited April 13, 2007 by thaiflyer1

[Kerryd]

Yesterday morning (was it morning ?) I came downstairs to the sight of the two youngest ankle-biters in the building, set up with small silver bowls full of scented water, and small silver cups. I was dismayed as I expected to get plastered with both, especially when they both came charging at me as soon as they saw me.

To my surprise, they poured a little water over my hands, then dabbed a little white goo on my face. Then all the rest of the "clan" in the building had to do the same thing. OK, not too bad. The land-lady explained that it was Songkran in Korat now, which is why they were already celebrating.

The rug-rats were also tossing little cups of water at every passing vehicle, but at 2-3 ounces per shot, it wasn't a major concern.

The thing that irked me the most was when I went to visit a friend in a certain "establishment" last night, and the current (farang) manager was running around spraying staff and customers, inside the a-go-go.

The girls were getting quite upset (sprayed with cold water inside an air-conditioned club), not to mention all the tables getting soaked. After the third time I got hit with a blast, I called for my bin and left (and they wonder why they don't have any customers ?).

It will only get crazier from here on in. Time to pre-plan any trip out-side (i.e. put everything in zip lock baggies before opening the front door !)

[mumbojumbo]

I always thought that Patters had Sonkran for 1 day, a week later than the rest of Thailand. Has

this changed.

[Jimmyd]

...is it still safe to venture into town on bike?

You have a strange definition of safe!

I always thought that Patters had Sonkran for 1 day, a week later than the rest of Thailand. Has this changed.

Pattaya has had a two-week Songkran for at least 7 years, probably more. The last day is always the most intense, however.

[cali4995]

...is it still safe to venture into town on bike?

You have a strange definition of safe!

I always thought that Patters had Sonkran for 1 day, a week later than the rest of Thailand. Has this changed.

Pattaya has had a two-week Songkran for at least 7 years, probably more. The last day is always the most intense, however.

yes the bargirls have already set-up their battle stations on the roadside complete with 55 gallon plastic drums of water. specifically targeting motorists driving by. it seems to stray from the intended spirit of the thing. i think pattaya's offical songkran day is the 19th? they'll be worked up to a frenzy by that point.

[Jingthing]

Yes, the 19th is the big day. Do you think the madness will stop by the 20th or will it last through the weekend till the 22nd?

Not a big Songkran fan myself, mainly because it is just TOO LONG.

My dream would be a one day Songkran and if someone threw some liquids on you any other day, you could legally shoot them.

Uh oh, whinging again.

Edited April 14, 2007 by Jingthing

[Kerryd]

Yes, the 19th is the big day. Do you think the madness will stop by the 20th or will it last through the weekend till the 22nd?

If I recall correctly, things did quiet down the day after (in most places). I imagine there will still be the odd groups (mostly farangs) that will try to carry on for bit after everyone else stops.

I thought they banned those PVC water cannons last year (or was it the year before) ? Saw a couple of people (farangs) wandering around the end of South Pattaya Road (that little strip between #2 Road and Beach Rd/Walking St). They looked like they would dearly love to be spraying people, but forgot they need to have a large water supply handy to keep refilling their cannons. Kind of hard to carry around a large bucket of water when you are walking around that area.

Strange thing happened while I was having dinner at Zum Simpl (on that same end of S Pattaya Rd) last night. Sitting outside, keeping a wary eye out for roving gangs of water-sprayers, when two Thai women stopped near my table.

They were talking about something I couldn't quite hear (and definitely couldn't understand). Then the one woman looks at me and said "Be careful" and they both walked away.

Maybe they had just been ambushed by water-sprayers and were trying to warn me ? In any event, dinner was uneventful, though I did see a few people wander by that had been sprayed and dabbed with powder.

[freckle]

water i can handle--that's expected. however some clever girl put some kind of cooling powder on my forehead. in seconds it felt like it was on fire combined with the cold water. it spoiled an otherwise fun songkran day.

[suiging]

water i can handle--that's expected. however some clever girl put some kind of cooling powder on my forehead. in seconds it felt like it was on fire combined with the cold water. it spoiled an otherwise fun songkran day.

Ahh the old Snake Powder trick. Works wonders on the old gonads pre and post golf, but could be a problem on the forehead.

[raro]

Came back this morning from the village swimming pool and when I passed the house of the village owner they were unloading huge speakers from a pick-up truck. I looked with some shocked expression in my face and one of the guys said with a broad smile "Songkraaan".......there's still the chance of a power out....

[freckle]

Came back this morning from the village swimming pool and when I passed the house of the village owner they were unloading huge speakers from a pick-up truck. I looked with some shocked expression in my face and one of the guys said with a broad smile "Songkraaan".......there's still the chance of a power out....

blow up the transformer. the thais will think it's a ghost and the farrangs will call you a hero.

[begsaresponse]

Mamanoodle and I ventured out to Tropical Berts last night because we had missed the recon at Montys. So as usual we walked along soi 17 crossed over 3rd road. At this point we were still dry!! Continued down soi 17 a group of motorbike taxi guys spotted us, normally they say hello as we pass there regularly, one approached us with a container full of water - probably about 2 pints. Chucked half down my front and the other half down mamanoodle. So we smiled and wai to them. They replied.

We continued to walk and got a soaking from above and i don't mean rain. Nearly at Tukcom and a little boy squirted us with a small water pistol. Got on the Baht bus and thought well we should be ok now...how wrong we were!!

Baht bus turned along 2nd road and thats where it all went pear shaped. 2 or 3 times we were soaked with buckets of water thrown at us by....guess who.....falangs. They were out with their massive water guns. One motorbike passenger was soaking people as they rode along thought that was safe. And you know there wasn't a policeman in sight?

So god help anyone who ventures out on the 19th....but it won't be us.

[monty]

We have one member of our staff down due to Songkran already.

Got blasted by a 2 inch blue waterpipe cannon (aren't they supposed to be banned?) while driving his motorbike on second road resulting in him falling down. Slow speed, but unfortunate fall resulting in broken collarbone and shattered knee! Down for at least a month

[begsaresponse]

We have one member of our staff down due to Songkran already.

Got blasted by a 2 inch blue waterpipe cannon (aren't they supposed to be banned?) while driving his motorbike on second road resulting in him falling down. Slow speed, but unfortunate fall resulting in broken collarbone and shattered knee! Down for at least a month

Was the incident reported to the police.....or would that be a big joke?

[bazmlb]

A Frenchman stopped his motorsi and took to a young girl with a iron bar near Bali Hi pier, a out of uniform policeman then apprehended the man and gave him what he deserved

[bazmlb]

wet day out

[tropo]

We have one member of our staff down due to Songkran already.

Got blasted by a 2 inch blue waterpipe cannon (aren't they supposed to be banned?) while driving his motorbike on second road resulting in him falling down. Slow speed, but unfortunate fall resulting in broken collarbone and shattered knee! Down for at least a month

How did a waterpipe bring down a motorbike at slow speed? It must have been the shock/surprise that put him off balance.

[Pattaya_Fox]

wet day out

.....and the worst yet to come

[freckle]

wet day out

.....and the worst yet to come

Mai pen rai. the water is mostly splashed near beer bars and the occasionnal passing truck. so far, 2nd, 3rd, khopai, bonkoch, paniard chang (yume), arunotai, south/north/klang pattaya roads, and much of buakow are still safe. diana, honey, and chaiyapoon mildly less.

all bets are off on the 7th though. 3rd/south will be insane as well just about anywhere west of sukhumvit. consider yourselves warned!

[bazmlb]

wet day out

.....and the worst yet to come

Mai pen rai. the water is mostly splashed near beer bars and the occasionnal passing truck. so far, 2nd, 3rd, khopai, bonkoch, paniard chang (yume), arunotai, south/north/klang pattaya roads, and much of buakow are still safe. diana, honey, and chaiyapoon mildly less.

all bets are off on the 7th though. 3rd/south will be insane as well just about anywhere west of sukhumvit. consider yourselves warned!

Have you actually been outside?

speckled all along Pattaya Tai as far as Sukhumvit rd were people with Tubs of water, People driving along Sukhumvit rd in pickups spraying everyone

[freckle]

wet day out

.....and the worst yet to come

Mai pen rai. the water is mostly splashed near beer bars and the occasionnal passing truck. so far, 2nd, 3rd, khopai, bonkoch, paniard chang (yume), arunotai, south/north/klang pattaya roads, and much of buakow are still safe. diana, honey, and chaiyapoon mildly less.

all bets are off on the 7th though. 3rd/south will be insane as well just about anywhere west of sukhumvit. consider yourselves warned!

Have you actually been outside?

speckled all along Pattaya Tai as far as Sukhumvit rd were people with Tubs of water, People driving along Sukhumvit rd in pickups spraying everyone

only spraying you...admit it.

[Pattaya_Fox]

The umbrella sellers must be making a killing