Thailand grants citizenship to half a million people – but not farangs

[NorthernRyland]

5 hours ago, bob smith said:

intentionally wasting water should be a crime in and of itself.

 

punishable by waterboarding.

[Gottfrid]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Minister Cholnan Srikaew chaired a meeting of the Alcohol Control Committee, approving guidelines for alcohol control during the 2024 Songkran Festival.

Good luck with that! Like Smokie and The Bandit: We gonna do what they say can´t be done.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

21 days?  3 days is too many.

They truly don't seem to care about any of this.  It is all about the money more and more.  

 

Of course it's about money, Thailands broke and only tourism is keeping it afloat..

Not sure how 21 days is going to play out, surely Thais will be working ?

Or will it be teams of tourists against the unemployed, drug runners and Youtubers ?

[topt]

5 hours ago, dinsdale said:

 

For your average Thai the celebrations will be during the official holiday period which again is April 12-16.

Try telling that to them all in Naklua and Pattaya on the 18th and 19th..........

[Andycoops]

Completely meaningless mumbo jumbo which will be totally ignored, as usual, by the vast majority of the population.

The word guidelines sums up the incompetence.

[dinsdale]

14 minutes ago, topt said:

Try telling that to them all in Naklua and Pattaya on the 18th and 19th..........

Yes some places have it at a different time but the national holidays are from the 12th to the 16th. This is when people will travel back to their homes and this is when the majority of Thailand will celerbrate Songkran which is on the 13th. This is how it's always been and always will be. It's just a little longer this year. NOT 3 weeks.

[PETERTHEEATER]

9 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Jesus   O'reilly..............

Hilarious article from start to finish , please  repost it  on April 1

Do I detect just a hint of disbelief in your post? 😀

[sandyf]

8 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

21 days?  3 days is too many.

They truly don't seem to care about any of this.  It is all about the money more and more.  

 

And whose money would that be?

Foreigners are a very small percentage of the people that participate in Songkran.

Historically Bang Saen has finished the day before Pattaya and for most of that day all roads leading in that direction are at a standstill with packed pickups nose to tail. Very few appear to be over the age of 21 but plenty of "whisky" being passed around.

People shouldn't jump to conclusions, the motive may well be to spread it out more in an attempt to reduce the severe congestion that occurs at times. Reducing the road traffic situation would lead to a reduction in revenue, not an increase. In April 2020, Thailand was the only country in the world that had a reduction in excess deaths, due to Songkran being cancelled.

Songkran was around long before any foreigners came. I went to Laos one year to avoid it, ignorant of the fact it was just as bad there. Just stay at home now.

[Kalasin Jo]

6 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

Are there also laws that are not strict? 🤔

Better expressed as strict enforcement of laws than enforcement of strict laws methinks.

 

So as usual the cops will set up their roadside decorated tents, tables and chairs, a few bollards strategically placed in the road and now and then decide to step out and wave vehicles and motorcycles to a stop, check whether whether valid licences are displayed, haul driver over if not, wave on if it is. There will be lunch breaks, snack breaks and all gone home by teatime. According to the article drivers will only be breathalysed if involved in an accident.

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, topt said:

Try telling that to them all in Naklua and Pattaya on the 18th and 19th..........

There has always been a difference between the official holiday and what happens locally. For many years Pattaya has had a week of celebration for Songkran. Bang Saen has normally been 6 days and the last day is probably the largest gathering anywhere in Thailand.

[Geordieabroad]

Thank god for my patio beer fridge 🍺🍺 cheers

[AhFarangJa]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

Law enforcement will also administer breathalyzer tests to all drivers involved in accidents, with a strict policy against drunk driving.  Unless they are driving Mercedes, BMW's, and other Hi So vehicles.

There, fixed that for them.

[SportRider]

10 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Many years ago when we saw Thais filing up their water guns in a creek, we have actively avoided this rubbish with the water. I am sure the Thais have the immunities and can handle dirty water in their face (they swim in when young), but us Expats over 50 are generally not so resistant to bacterial/fungal/viral infections.

Anti bacterial eye drops from the pharmacy..  standard purchase at Songkran time.

[kingstonkid]

5 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

I sometimes wonder, what kind of excellent weed some people seem to smoke. 21 days of alcohol-free zoned Songkran, I beg your pardon!

 

"The government's "World Songkran Festival" from 1 to 21 April is divided into three phases: preparation, festival days, and post-festival."  

The reality reads more like this: the division into three phases reads "get plenty of booze 24/7 despite no-alcohol-sale-hours anywhere except the supermarkets, get hammered and completely drunk during the festival days and the post-festival serves to clear up the mother-of-all-hangovers due to the extremely high quality of the local firewaters".

I am open to everything and wonder, if this year's "festivities" would be any different to what I saw over the last four decades. Well, the duration is a novelty; from three to 21 days; wondering how many alien will pick up the idea for holiday alternatives and how many locals can afford three weeks of partying ........ 

The interesting part is that there are no big plans or parties announced for tourists.

 

This will not be participating because DUH they have to work to pay the bills.

 

Who will be avail the young kids that are not in school that rade with no helmets or no cares.

[Jiggo]

13 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

21 days?  3 days is too many.

They truly don't seem to care about any of this.  It is all about the money more and more.  

 

Not for local businesses Thrappasit Road shops close for about a week

Glad I moved to a more civil place away from bald "ting dong" 50 year old's playing  SAS soldiers lol

[stargrazer9889]

Yahoo, 21 days that I will not be in Thailand, again. I did experience

Songkhran once and that was enough. I wonder what magic number TAT

will forecast for the excess tourists for this magical 21 day event?

Good luck to all expats that live in good old Thai and year round.

Bye I am leaving this stinking hot country tomorrow. I spent 58 days here

this trip and that was more than enough.