Songkran in Thailand to go ahead next month - with some water splashing

[Susco]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Heard of Myanmar?

 

You heard about borders, and about the Myanmar workers being tested, and mostly situated in the red zone of Samut Sakhon?

 

 

[Mavideol]

around the world there are a lot of useless time and money waste festivities, this one is close enough to the top of the list

[Susco]

By the way, you forgot to give any evidence yet that the official number of deaths in Thailand are not true.

 

Maybe you don't have any credible evidence??????

[Jingthing]

38 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

By the way, you forgot to give any evidence yet that the official number of deaths in Thailand are not true.

 

Maybe you don't have any credible evidence??????

 

Common sense. Testing is very limited here.

[Susco]

21 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Common sense. Testing is very limited here.

 

I'm not talking about asymptomatic infections, that don't get detected because the lack of testing, I'm talking about deaths. You can't hide those, so do you know of several deaths that are suspected to be from covid.

 

[WhatsNext]

38 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Many of us love the bit of craziness here. When I lived in the US, I was bored to death with the same same, and awful predictability of life back there. Embrace it. Thais are full of joy. Let it infect you heart and soul. Songkran is great fun. Especially the wet t-shirts! 

 

I can agree with you 100% as soon as participation is optional. Sadly it's not and that spoils all the fun. At least for about 80 percent of the retired here that just want to enjoy outside instead of having to sit in for a week thanks to all the "joy" ????

[sapson]

So the area with the highest density of covid is among the only area of any testing in depth as in the provinces surrounding Bangkok with the thousands of migrants working shoulder to shoulder with their Thai colleagues in the numerous factories.

 

The same Thai factory workers who will return en masse to the provinces  nationwide to celebrate Songkran with their families especially if its given the go ahead.

 

Oh well, their will be a rush on paracetamol at the  village 7/11s for the youngsters and bumper revenue for the monks at the temples for the cremations in the months to come for  a few thousand more oldies dying of respiratory failure old age etc...... nothing to see here... no autopsy, no covid test.............just another day in paradise!

 

 

[DBath]

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The great and benevolent leader has already insured happiness. Now, he is showing the vast purity of his heart, by allowing the people to celebrate, and have some fun. 

 

He is lowering unemployment.

He is growing the economy.

He is doing everything in his power to open the country up again, and increase tourism revenue.

He is increasing exports.

He is abiding by all of the terms of the ASEAN charters he signed, and allowing the duty free importation of all beer throughout ASEAN. Bintang, Beer Lao, Bia Saigon, Bia Huda, Bia Ha Noi, Dagon, Saigon Special, 333, are on all of the supermarket shelves as we speak. We are not longer subject to the very low quality local beers, as promised in the recent ASEAN charter, that Thailand agreed to and signed. 

He is making visa policy easy, simple and streamlined, and all tourists are very happy about that. He is working on the attitudes of government workers, and making sure they are open and friendly to both tourists, and ex-pats.

He is improving traffic and public safety.

He is working day and night to eliminate the air quality issues, that have become a catastrophe for the nation. 

Corruption is being eliminated, and innocent fall guys are no longer getting charged for murder, and being put to death.

The taxi mafia on Samui and Phuket have been eliminated, and tourists can now get a taxi at a fair price. They are also adding multiple options of cheap public transportation on the Southern islands. 

 

Life is better for all now that this great man is demonstrating his genius and vision on a daily basis. All he cares about is the welfare of his own people, and the happiness of both tourists and the ex-pat community. He contemplates this day and night.

Wakeup, wakeup, spidermike!!! I’m sorry, you must’ve been having a good dream. 

[onthedarkside]

Several trolling posts have been removed, along with personal comments made to fellow forum members.

 

[Venom]

2 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

6 hours ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

If you don't like the festivities do your shopping before and stay home nobody tells you to come out during these days . You know there is 1 week a year of this and then you will not see it for another year . If you can't stand that you shouldn't have come to this country in the first place , it's their new years celebration .

Expand  

 

So what about all the massive celebrations for the 'New Year' that the rest of the world enjoys ?

As I recall Thailand also enjoys massive celebrations over "New Years". Just saying.????

[Pilotman]

time to stock up with booze and food and lock the gates and stay inside for a week, let the lunatics do their thing 

[Nanaplaza666]

9 hours ago, WhatsNext said:

 

There is no other country on earht where you have to stay in for a week because the local population goes crazy and wants to destroy your shopping, clothes, and possibly cause bodily harm. If you are free to participate then no problem, but you are -forced- to do so. 

People all around the world have been in lock down on and off now for more then a year , be happy that there are oppertunities to celebrate something and if you not happy about it , it's only 1 week in the whole year . And nobody forces you to do nothing . 

[Nanaplaza666]

9 hours ago, sambum said:

 

2 to 3 days is acceptable, but 7 to 9 days is not.

 

"The Songkran festival is the traditional Thai New Year's Day and is celebrated from 13 April to 15 April." 

O wow 1 week a year must be hell on earth to stay in thailand for you then . Take a deep breath and it's over , what's 1 week a year to give the people of the country you are living in (and probably allowed to do so)the chance to celebrate THEIR new years the way they have been doing for ages . So many people are complaining about this but it's going to be the same every year so why bother , deal with it . At the end you'll have to it will not change . Count yourself lucky, last year there was no songkran because of covid . And the way they handled that situation here hes been much better then in a lot of western countries with all their lockdowns and closures you've had much more freedom here then you probably would have had at your home country .

[Nanaplaza666]

9 hours ago, possum1931 said:

If any farang who I don't know throws any water at me, he had better have good health insurance.

Brrrrrrr shivering already, and the cold water throwing hasn't even started yet . 

[Nanaplaza666]

9 hours ago, sambum said:

"If you can't stand that you shouldn't have come to this country in the first place"

 

Another paid up member of the "if you don't like it go home" club?

 

He's already said that he normally left the country for a couple of weeks during this time, but due to present regs he cannot. 

 

It's said every year, but the spirit of Songkran where you get a few drops of water splashed on you, and some talc smeared on your face has long gone. It used to be fun, but now it has become a "water battle" which is OK for the participants, but for others it is no fun at all. What is funny about having a bowlful of iced water (sometimes containing washing up liquid to temporarily blind you!)  thrown directly in your face when you are riding a motor bike? 

 

And these "festivities" are supposed to cease at sundown are they not? Many a time this is ignored by the "revellers", and no doubt a few decent clothes ruined in the process.

 

I used to enjoy and participate in the festival, but not any more, I'm afraid - it's lost it's attraction for me - I prefer to watch it on TV (Television that is - not ThaiVisa!)  

 

 

 

So that might be the answer for the member that escapes every year to another country . Maybe he can benchwatch some series with you for 9 days . DM him you might have a date for songkran ????

[Nanaplaza666]

8 hours ago, Aomelia said:

9 days in Pattaya it’s Ridiculous 

I know it's a bit long but that's just what it is and it will not change , if somebody tells you to eat something you don't like or do something you don't want to , do you do it ??? You are not forced to participate there is enough chance to avoid it . C'mon 9 days a year . Look at all the riots that took place in many western countries because the people couldn't celebrate their own new years last year. Cars where being set on fire , shop where plundered , so i geuss last year when there was no songkran the people behaved prety good here in thailand . Look at what these people have lost and missed as well in the past covid year , just give them a break and let them celebrate . I'm not a participant as well but i don't mind to hide for a few days a year . 

[Nanaplaza666]

6 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

 

So what about all the massive celebrations for the 'New Year' that the rest of the world enjoys ? That's our New Year not a Thai one, or the Chinese New Year ? they also have massive celebrations for that & then blow me down they have their own New Year, greedy buggars, ???????? 

 

And yes I'm well aware that many are of Chinese descent, the point you made was it's their new year if you don't like you shouldn't have moved here, well leave the western one to us and if they want to celebrate the Chinese one go to China ????????????????

They do don't they , they let you celebrate your own western new years every year and even celebrate it with you . I don't mean if you don't like it you shouldn't have moved here , just except it . And if you don't like the way things are going here then ask yourself why you've moved here . I find it a bit strange that so many people are complaining about , it's just 1 week a year and most of the complainers have probably celebrated it when they where younger and enjoyed it a lot but now they get older they can't handle it . Those are the things you have to handle with when you get older deal with it . 

[Nanaplaza666]

3 hours ago, Venom said:

As I recall Thailand also enjoys massive celebrations over "New Years". Just saying.????

That's right they celebrate our new years as well and the ones that don't like it stay home . So should everyone that doesn't like songkran as well stay home or avoid it in another way it's just 1 week a year . 

[ThailandRyan]

Songkran was not what it has now become in the days when I first came to Thailand.  There was 1 day of water play and that was all there was.  After family had traveled back home the mornings began with merit making. The families i visited with would then visit local temples and offer food to the Buddhist monks.  They would then return home after pouring water on the Buddha statues and then wash the young and elderly as a traditional ritual which represented purification and the washing away of one's sins and bad luck from the past year.  It has now become a free for all with crazy antics and drunken revelry.  Not what it was initially meant to do.

[Knocker33]

Need to keep the cull of braindead going. They missed out last year. 

[csmith]

On 3/3/2021 at 9:11 PM, bangsaenguy said:

Is dancing allowed yet?

.

[Golden Triangle]

1 hour ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

They do don't they , they let you celebrate your own western new years every year and even celebrate it with you . I don't mean if you don't like it you shouldn't have moved here , just except it . And if you don't like the way things are going here then ask yourself why you've moved here . I find it a bit strange that so many people are complaining about , it's just 1 week a year and most of the complainers have probably celebrated it when they where younger and enjoyed it a lot but now they get older they can't handle it . Those are the things you have to handle with when you get older deal with it . 

And in any of your thoughts or equations have you factored in COVID-19 ? 

 

I don't think anyone is actually against the festival per se, but I'm not sure about the timing, or are you young enough to be totally bullet proof ? at this precise moment in time myself & the Mrs avoid crowds for a very good reason, we want to continue living, and please spare us any conspiracy theory carp that it's just a cold, it wasn't a chuffin cold that killed my brother.

[WhatsNext]

10 hours ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

People all around the world have been in lock down on and off now for more then a year , be happy that there are oppertunities to celebrate something and if you not happy about it , it's only 1 week in the whole year . And nobody forces you to do nothing . 

I don't know how many times I have to repeat this : it's fine when participation is optional like with all celebrations everywhere in the world. However it's not fine at all when you are forced to join.

 

Imagine having to stay inside for a week per year in Paris, because there are people playing rugby everywhere that want to tackle and stomp you when you go shopping. 

 

It's not a party it's a mob trying to hurt you.

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, WhatsNext said:

I don't know how many times I have to repeat this : it's fine when participation is optional like with all celebrations everywhere in the world. However it's not fine at all when you are forced to join.

 

Imagine having to stay inside for a week per year in Paris, because there are people playing rugby everywhere that want to tackle and stomp you when you go shopping. 

 

It's not a party it's a mob trying to hurt you.

One year I was in Bangkok, and I walked around with a good raincoat, with a hood. When people saw me, they just kind of realized I was the party pooper type, and mostly avoided playing, and throwing water at me, and I became sort of a Songkran ghost of sorts. Worked really well. Going into the malls, or the skytrain, with the AC, when you are soaking wet, is not much fun.

 

It is a fun holiday, but not in the big city, in my opinion, unless you live there, and are close to home. 

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

One year I was in Bangkok, and I walked around with a good raincoat, with a hood. When people saw me, they just kind of realized I was the party pooper type, and mostly avoided playing, and throwing water at me, and I became sort of a Songkran ghost of sorts. Worked really well. Going into the malls, or the skytrain, with the AC, when you are soaking wet, is not much fun.

 

It is a fun holiday, but not in the big city, in my opinion, unless you live there, and are close to home. 

Exactly, the Silom water party has always been Nuts. It is why I watch from above and stay off the street.

[newnative]

      I strongly believe that Songkran should be confined to certain streets and certain times of the day.  Then, if you don't want to partake, you can try to avoid those streets and not be stuck at home for days.   I'll never forget one year my partner and I were out one morning driving around in our car and we were on what I would not call a 'party' street' in Pattaya--just an ordinary street.  We saw a neatly dressed Thai on his motorcycle on his way to work and it happened that there was a group of water-throwers on the corner and they threw a full bucket of water at the Thai rider.  He nearly fell off his bike, plus his neat clothes were drenched with water.  Make it certain streets only and certain times of the day.  

[Daithi85]

On 3/3/2021 at 9:03 PM, fishtank said:

What a shame.

I was hoping this country was becoming civilised but

the festival of death is back.

Good news for the undertakers who will make a fortune out of the many deaths.

U go hide under the bed until it's over like a good old miserable git. 

[Nanaplaza666]

5 hours ago, WhatsNext said:

I don't know how many times I have to repeat this : it's fine when participation is optional like with all celebrations everywhere in the world. However it's not fine at all when you are forced to join.

 

Imagine having to stay inside for a week per year in Paris, because there are people playing rugby everywhere that want to tackle and stomp you when you go shopping. 

 

It's not a party it's a mob trying to hurt you.

And let me repeat myself again as well , you are not forced to particepate . And if that would be a french celebration and you've chosen to spend your live in france, you would have to live with it . 

[Nanaplaza666]

13 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

And in any of your thoughts or equations have you factored in COVID-19 ? 

 

I don't think anyone is actually against the festival per se, but I'm not sure about the timing, or are you young enough to be totally bullet proof ? at this precise moment in time myself & the Mrs avoid crowds for a very good reason, we want to continue living, and please spare us any conspiracy theory carp that it's just a cold, it wasn't a chuffin cold that killed my brother.

People die of normal flu as well every year ,it's just not brought in the media like this . Sorry to hear about your brother by the way , every death is 1 to many my sencere condolances .  

[Nanaplaza666]

5 hours ago, WhatsNext said:

I don't know how many times I have to repeat this : it's fine when participation is optional like with all celebrations everywhere in the world. However it's not fine at all when you are forced to join.

 

Imagine having to stay inside for a week per year in Paris, because there are people playing rugby everywhere that want to tackle and stomp you when you go shopping. 

 

It's not a party it's a mob trying to hurt you.

You answer yourself already "it's fine when participation is optional" just don't participate . And there are enough ways to not to , don't tell me there is no way not to participate . I live here for many years and there is always a way around the celebrations you just need to choose the right route and it may take a bit longer to reach your destination but so what .