Do you like Songkran ?

Damn you Trump ... ????

 

Some idiots were out last night (the day before Songkran begins) standing by the road at throwing water and passing motorbikes , the bike drivers naturally turn their head away and often turn the steering wheel as well , 

When I was young and first came to Thailand I loved it. I remember dumping an entire bucket of water onto to cops sitting in a police ute in Chiang Mai in 1980. They laughed and said "happy new year". I realised then that it was a uniquely Thai culture. Now that I'm old I avoid it, like all crowds really. In used to go to concerts when I was young as well. Now, not so much. I laugh at the grinches who "hate" songkran.  Don't like it? Go somewhere else. I didn't vote because none of the questions match my attitude.

I go out before 8am, have my espresso and croissant, then a little shopping in the supermarket and then I stay home for the rest of the day.

My Thai gf is with her family up country. So she won't drag me out when I don't want that.

 

Happy Thai New Year for everybody - with or without water.

19 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Some idiots were out last night (the day before Songkran begins) standing by the road at throwing water and passing motorbikes , the bike drivers naturally turn their head away and often turn the steering wheel as well , 

I drove this morning through Sukhumvit Soi 23. A big puddle of water was in front of that bar, which officially is a restaurant owned by the police. 

It's easily the worst celebration on planet Earth, IMHO.

 

What other celebration racks up such a death toll?

 

The traditional way of celebrating is nice, but the way most nutters celebrate it is not.

If I am on holiday in a beachfront resort town it can be fun. If I am downtown where I actually live it is a bit tedious.

One road in "my" town has a 50+m section of street with arched water jets, so those on m/bikes have to make a detour. OK if you know it is there.

2 minutes ago, 2009 said:

It's easily the worst celebration on planet Earth, IMHO.

 

What other celebration racks up such a death toll?

 

The traditional way of celebrating is nice, but the way most nutters celebrate it is not.

Its unpleasant because of the players mentality of trying to "attack" people who don't want to play , soaking a dry person is seen as some kind of victory and they hunt dry people down hoping to hit their target

Just now, Mac Mickmanus said:

Its unpleasant because of the players mentality of trying to "attack" people who don't want to play , soaking a dry person is seen as some kind of victory and they hunt dry people down hoping to hit their target

Yes, indeed.

 

Kinda how they approach crosswalks in their vehicles.

23 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Now, not so much. I laugh at the grinches who "hate" songkran.  Don't like it? Go somewhere else.

Some people have responsibilities and cannot just go somewhere else for a week and there are many Thais who dislike Songkran and they all cannot go somewhere else .

   How about the waterfighters stay in one location , like a park or something ?

Leaving the country hate it.

5 hours ago, 2009 said:

It's easily the worst celebration on planet Earth, IMHO.

 

What other celebration racks up such a death toll?

 

The traditional way of celebrating is nice, but the way most nutters celebrate it is not.

Yes, I remember the traditional way of celebrating Songkran, where a person would approach you and carefully splash a few fingers of water on you, then put the white powder on your face, which I found very acceptable and pleased both parties.

 

Nowadays it's a free for all fight using buckets of water (very often from a dirty klong) and hosepipes, and once you add alcohol, stupid farangs and Thais, then all sorts of things can happen.

 

I stock up with food and wine and download a few movies, then stay in until this madness is over.

I think we'll chill for few days ... 

 

It's not a Farang celebration....

5 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

It's not a Farang celebration....

The celebrations are not Country of origin specific , any simpleton from anywhere can join in with the water fights 

30 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

It's not a Farang celebration....

No, you must be joking.............well tickle my @ss with a feather!

16 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

It's not a Farang celebration....

Only for some "quality" tourists. Here in Pattaya and at many other such locations with sex and booze tourists it is a kind of annoying (sex) bar festival. Has not much to do with Songkran. The biggest problem is that they obviously don't have to follow any regulations at this time (too...). 

6 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Some people have responsibilities and cannot just go somewhere else for a week and there are many Thais who dislike Songkran and they all cannot go somewhere else .

   How about the waterfighters stay in one location , like a park or something ?

I am in central Bangkok and not seen one water thrower today. Just avoid the areas that they throw water if you dont like it. Other than Pattaya its basically over in a day anyway.

2 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

I am in central Bangkok and not seen one water thrower today. Just avoid the areas that they throw water if you dont like it. Other than Pattaya its basically over in a day anyway.

For Pattaya Google Maps should have a function to show you how to get from one location to the other without getting wet... 

Well, I really enjoyed the covid songkrans. Best ever.

13 minutes ago, Mickeymaus said:

For Pattaya Google Maps should have a function to show you how to get from one location to the other without getting wet... 

Previously when i used to spend more time in Pattaya i found it was easy going out in the morning to do anything you needed to do as the water did not start until later in the day. And you have 360 other days to plan in advance. What do you have to do which is so uber critical it cannot be done before Songkran?

22 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

Previously when i used to spend more time in Pattaya i found it was easy going out in the morning to do anything you needed to do as the water did not start until later in the day. And you have 360 other days to plan in advance. What do you have to do which is so uber critical it cannot be done before Songkran?

The malls open at 11. And there's no guarantee there won't be "water fun" earlier. The problem is this bar festival in Pattaya is way too long. With 3 days no problem even if that is very annoying.

1 hour ago, smutcakes said:

. And you have 360 other days to plan in advance. What do you have to do which is so uber critical it cannot be done before Songkran?

Going to a hospital with an open wound whilst carrying a passport and a vaccination certificate which your life depends on and getting any of them wet by some idiot throwing water over them  will cause problems 

On Suk 33, it's very mellow and respectful. If you don't have a water gun, they leave you alone.

 

I see a lot of impromptu road barriers popping up so the various massage people can spread out and drink and party directly in the streets. A lot of the food vendors are absent. The pot places are doing big biz. 7/11 is heaving.

 

My only other Songkran was in Luang Prubang circa' 09. They invited me to wash a Buddha from a cave in the Mekong. And it wasn't the famous Buddha cave, more like a back stream cave.

 

And great, slightly Frenchified Issan food. The Lao tradition is serve everything at once, a feast to the gods. That was a Songkran to beat.

 

So I guess I am a Songkran fan. A certain germophobic uh, former guy would cower in the back of his limo.

This morning the kids and grandkids garlanded me and the wife, washed our feet, thanked us and marked our faces with a water talcum powder mix, we in turn wished them good luck. That bit I like, as I do the little bit of water splashing in our soi, the mad free for all that goes on in town I'm happy to skip.

As an AI language model, I do not have likes or dislikes.

5 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I think we'll chill for few days ... 

 

Banging it out of the park there @KhunLA with your 244 youtube subscribers.  Have you been approached by any sponsors yet?

I had a good mind of buying a water gun and pee inside it instead of filling it with water so that I can return the favour with interest.

11 minutes ago, Adumbration said:

Banging it out of the park there @KhunLA with your 244 youtube subscribers.  Have you been approached by any sponsors yet?

Hopefully never ... then I might actually have to do something.  Sounds like a schedule or work .... no thanks.

 

Just self entertainment ... if other's get a chuckle, that works.