Three weeks of Songkran celebrations begin April 1st

[Bday Prang]

3 minutes ago, Guderian said:

 

It will certainly boost it in nearby countries like the Philippines, as thousands of expats flee this extended water madness in Thailand.

The arrival in the Philippines of 1000's of cantankerous old men , mostly ex special forces of course, will have a negative effect on tourism there too,  Jesus what a thought 

[Ralf001]

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

It isn't a holiday. It's a celebration.

 

Am I not allowed to celebrate ?

[Ralf001]

2 hours ago, JackGats said:

 

 

I think it's time for Thai calendars to invert their colour-coding to emphasize the few working days between holidays.

 

 

 

 

works out to be 0.307 public holidays per week.

[johnnybangkok]

I'm not sure why everyone is getting so confused about this. They are not giving everyone 3 weeks of holidays rather they are extending the Songkran celebrations over 3 weeks BUT and (it's an important but) the government haven't announced any extra national holidays over the same period (it's still the 15 & 16th which is in lieu of the 13th & 14th which are Saturday and Sunday).

They may add another 1 or 2 days to these (lets wait and see) but industry & businesses will not stand for any more as obviously they have to pay for national holidays. 

I think it'll just mean that certain provinces may host some Songkran festivities to attract tourists that would normally only go to Bankok or Pattaya or Chang Mai.

[thecyclist]

Man am I glad I don't live in Thailand anymore. 

[Bangkok Barry]

9 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

It isn't a holiday. It's a celebration.

 

Am I not allowed to celebrate ?

 

Up to you. Several people seem to think a three-week holiday is planned. I nor any one else has any idea what the celebrations will include. Again, how you do that is up to you.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

I'm not sure why everyone is getting so confused about this. They are not giving everyone 3 weeks of holidays rather they are extending the Songkran celebrations over 3 weeks BUT and (it's an important but) the government haven't announced any extra national holidays over the same period (it's still the 15 & 16th which is in lieu of the 13th & 14th which are Saturday and Sunday).

They may add another 1 or 2 days to these (lets wait and see) but industry & businesses will not stand for any more as obviously they have to pay for national holidays. 

I think it'll just mean that certain provinces may host some Songkran festivities to attract tourists that would normally only go to Bankok or Pattaya or Chang Mai.

 

Nice to see someone who understood what they read instead of leaping to wrong conclusions, reading something that wasn't there.

[Ralf001]

2 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Up to you. Several people seem to think a three-week holiday is planned. I nor any one else has any idea what the celebrations will include. Again, how you do that is up to you.

It is planned, for me.

Just got my leave approved, ties in well as rolled over 3weeks from last year and it has to be used (or lose it) by end of May.

[johnnybangkok]

2 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Nice to see someone who understood what they read instead of leaping to wrong conclusions, reading something that wasn't there.

Yes, reading comprehension not a big thing on AN.

[Modern Coding]

17 hours ago, still kicking said:

Well Thais are rich they can afford not working for 3 weeks.

"Celebrating" has never meant "not working".

[les1]

Nuts.....nothing more to be said it's been covered by all !!!!!

[Korat Kiwi]

41 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

One year I saw some d-bags throwing buckets of ice water at motorcyclists as they were exiting Motorway 7. Beggars belief!

 

The last time I was in Pattaya it coincided with Songkran.  Local merchants were doing a booming trade in large blocks of ice. 

 

Where I was drinking the bar had 4x 44 gallon drums full of ice water, which was constantly topped up by obliging tourists (ie they were paying for the ice) 

 

I can't  say it was pleasant getting a ice cold bucket of water thrown at you.  It wasn't so bad once you warmed up a bit but initially it was a bit of a fright. 

 

A Thai couple came past on a scooter with the guy pleading not to get his missus wet.  One falang didn't listen and drenched her with a bucket of the ice water. 

 

Then things got a bit ugly... The guy got off the scooter and pulled out a knife. 

 

Fortunately the bar was owned/run by some local police.  The mammasan jumped straight in and cooled things down. 

 

I think the falang that threw the water was extremely lucky.  A donation was given to the bar and the falang decided to call it a day. 

 

It toned things down a bit after that. 

[AAArdvark]

16 hours ago, bbko said:

Queue the standard "I hate Songkran" posts, 555.

I hate Songkran

[Bangkok Barry]

9 minutes ago, Modern Coding said:

"Celebrating" has never meant "not working".

 

Unless you over-celebrate, and then it might be a problem the next day 

[LikeItHot]

Thanks for the reminder to stock up on everything I need to stay home for three weeks.  

[LikeItHot]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

 

 

Don't call me Shirley 

[Jumbo1968]

15 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

No one has suggested that it is a 3-week holiday for Thais.

What plans are in place for celebrations, 3 weeks of water throwing ?

[Liverpool Lou]

1 minute ago, Jumbo1968 said:

What plans are in place for celebrations, 3 weeks of water throwing ?

No.  If you read the reports about it, you'd know what the plans are.              

[Jumbo1968]

Who is providing all the water, bar owners won’t be shelling out for 3 weeks water I don’t think ?

[Peterphuket]

5 hours ago, peterpaintpot said:

Starting April the first - April Fools Day. Think about it!!

I think you're the only one who noticed.

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, findlay13 said:

7 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

I was going to comment that the government have lost the plot but in reality they have never had one ............

Only one "Show me the money"

Exactly the same as yours, and every other, government.

[Jumbo1968]

5 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

No.  If you read the reports about it, you'd know what the plans are.              

There are no plans as yet, they are going organise them, Songkran is a Water Festival so I assume it will involve water ?

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Typical... first do  and than think... water shortages are in sight and drought all over the country because less rainfall, but 3 weeks watersplashing is no problem.

Typical, hit the keyboard then read the articles later, there is not going to be three weeks of water throwing as seven posts (and an hour) before yours confirmed.

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, Bundooman said:

17 hours ago, bbko said:

Queue the standard "I hate Songkran" posts, 555.

Queue the standard posters trying to be clever and funny.........!

On cue, all the usual suspects queuing up to try to be funny.

[atpeace]

I have had fun during Songkran water hurling but mostly dread the experience.  A 1-2 should be the limit IMO with the exception of Pattaya.  Now that I no longer live there, I would be fine with making it the only place water can be used to douse people.  Hell, extend it a month and possibly allow mud cannons and clothing optional zones for those with a BMI <30 which sadly would exclude 90% of x-pats but they could still enjoy albeit without exposing what nobody really wants to see.

[foreverlomsak]

Does anybody know if this is going to have any impact on banks and Immigration closure days, or has that yet got to be decided?

[Jumbo1968]

4 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Typical, hit the keyboard then read the articles later, there is not going to be three weeks of water throwing as seven posts (and an hour) before yours confirmed.

I read the article, there is no indication what the celebrations will be,

Chai said that the Ministry of Culture will organising the activities in coordination with relevant private and public sector agencies in Bangkok’s 50 districts and the other 76 provinces

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, thesetat2013 said:

I thought they were trying to stop or reduce the water splashing and make songkran more traditional.. they seem to be using the words soft power alot as an excuse. 4 days of driving around wet was quite a bit. I can not imagine being wary of water throwers to drivers for 3 weeks. It also does not say if it will be a national holiday for those 3 weeks... Will government offices be closed? 

As has been reported, very clearly, in this thread there will not be three weeks of water throwing, neither will there be a three weeks national holiday...

" The official national days, by the way, will remain April 13th to the 15th, with public holidays running to the 16th. Pattaya, as usual, will likely run from the 12th to about the 19th.

In terms of the 21 days, the thought process behind this is NOT 21 days of water throwing. Instead, it’s best to think about it like Christmas, in which decorations, music, cultural presentations, etc. will take place for the entire month. The idea for Songkran is similar, with events proposed across Thailand from April 1st to the 21st, almost all of them focused on religious, cultural, and traditional heritage aspects.

Yes, there will still be water play, but according to Thai officials it will be limited to the official days and not the whole three week period.

So, for now, readers can rest easy that this doesn’t mean 21 days of water throwing across Thailand".

 

Government offices will be closed for the official three (four?) day Songkran holiday.

Edited February 8 by Liverpool Lou

[BigStar]

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

So once the Thais have got bored with it by April the 4th or 5th what will actually happen on the 12th, 13th and 14th ?  how exactly do they intend to keep the party going ?   

 

Come to Pattaya on the 11th, stay a week, and find out.

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, BestB said:

3 weeks of public holiday ?

3 weeks of water madness ?

I wonder if government put any thought into it

No.

No,

I wonder if you read the thread?