Poll: As a Pattaya expat, do you hate the week-long water-splashing Songkran?

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, actonion said:

Tourism authority of Thailand are as bad using Songkran, one of their most Religious  Festivals to attract tourists for the sake of more money, and  local Government for allowing it too continue into the early hours of the Morning

I did not know it to be a religious Festival, simply new year or passing of a solar event.

I am also hoping it means we get some rain and respite from the heat soon!

Edited April 19 by jacko45k

[actonion]

5 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I did not know it to be a religious Festival, simply new year or passing of a solar event.

Yesterday   pick up trucks  covered in Flowers and Budda statues in the  back   driving slowly around  East  Pattaya  is what made me  think it  has something to do with  their Religion, my Mrs says its a big deal for Thai's in the Temples

Edited April 19 by actonion

[jacko45k]

35 minutes ago, actonion said:

Yesterday   pick up trucks  covered in Flowers and Budda statues in the  back   driving slowly around  East  Pattaya  is what made me  think it  has something to do with  their Religion, my Mrs says its a big deal for Thai's in the Temples

Now you mention it my Mrs always goes to the temple (with family) on the 1st day of Songkran in the morning. Mind you she does that on her birthday too. 

[JoseThailand]

1 hour ago, actonion said:

It's been carrying on into early Mornings which is  not  normal from past  years, will it carry on past today I'm  wondering.

 

Of course it's gonna be until wee hours in the morning

[BigStar]

23 hours ago, Henryford said:

would be interesting to hear from the business community.

 

I've often thought that news about complaints from businesses harmed and from tourists disappointed is basically suppressed amid the push to promote Songkran. Pics and stories of the madness would get a lot more page views anyway. Sadly--I've had to reconcile myself to the fact--Songkran benefits a lot of businesses, some of those connected to the usual political & mafia entities.

 

Overall, the economic benefits outweigh the losses. We'll never see the end of it. Promoted more than ever, in fact. 

 

He don't need hearing in that ear. Haw!

 

 

[Yellowtail]

6 hours ago, BigStar said:

 

I've often thought that news about complaints from businesses harmed and from tourists disappointed is basically suppressed amid the push to promote Songkran. Pics and stories of the madness would get a lot more page views anyway. Sadly--I've had to reconcile myself to the fact--Songkran benefits a lot of businesses, some of those connected to the usual political & mafia entities.

 

Overall, the economic benefits outweigh the losses. We'll never see the end of it. Promoted more than ever, in fact. 

 

He don't need hearing in that ear. Haw!

 

 

And the Thais love it. 

[Jingthing]

49 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

And the Thais love it. 

Yeah "the Thais" are one thing.

[Wobblybob]

Mustn't grumble, in 11 years I got soaked for the first time on Tuesday. Tried to laugh it off but a grimace was all I could manage.

[JimTripper]

On 4/15/2024 at 4:44 PM, jesimps said:

Not so much the mindless water throwing because I tend to stay in over the period, but the loud bass-heavy music every evening jars me off. 

 

On 4/15/2024 at 4:49 PM, johng said:

Agreed the extremely loud and bassy musak  is impossible to escape 🤮

What's with the dumb music. Sounds like just drums with no clear vocals, or just continual beats. I guess it's a songkran thing fortunately and not all the time. Is there actually a band playing it? Do they have an album?

Edited April 19 by JimTripper

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, JimTripper said:

 

What's with the dumb music. Sounds like just drums with no clear vocals, or just continual beats.

Yeah, and all the young girls in wet clothes dancing, I hate that!

[NONG CHOK]

I still don't understand the Pattaya amphurs thinking, give the water throwers a designated throwing area on vacant land. At least if you enter there you do so at your on risk. I don't care what others do as long as they don't disrupt what I'm doing. I'm sure businesses would be all for that idea.

[couchpotato]

Well get used to it. The 'Soft Power' junta have hit on this long Songkran chaos as a way to bring in tourist revenue. So look for worse in coming years.

 

(Personally I used to enjoy the powder on the cheeks and a small splash of water by hand, but those days are long gone).

[Yellowtail]

3 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

Well get used to it. The 'Soft Power' junta have hit on this long Songkran chaos as a way to bring in tourist revenue. So look for worse in coming years.

 

(Personally I used to enjoy the powder on the cheeks and a small splash of water by hand, but those days are long gone).

I've been here full time since '99 and I do not remember "...powder on the cheeks and a small splash of water by hand..."

[couchpotato]

9 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I've been here full time since '99 and I do not remember "...powder on the cheeks and a small splash of water by hand..."

Late 70's parts of Bangkok and Chiangmai.

[scottiejohn]

42 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I've been here full time since '99 and I do not remember "...powder on the cheeks and a small splash of water by hand..."

You were obviously not living in a village or within your local Thai/family community!

Edited April 19 by scottiejohn

[Yellowtail]

10 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

You were obviously not living in a village or within your local Thai/family community!

I was living Kabinburi, with my family and working in a plant full of Thias. 

 

In any event, the topic is about Pattaya, where I have never lived. 

[scottiejohn]

15 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

In any event, the topic is about Pattaya, where I have never lived.

So why make your post?

[scottiejohn]

16 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

working in a plant full of Thias.

What is "a plant full of Thias."?

[persimmon]

Good for tourism ? I don`t think so judging by the reaction of the crowd on Walking street when threatened with people throwing buckets of water - they made a big detour to avoid being soaked .

At least some of the Thais ask before a soaking - I was crossing the road last year and a Thai chap with one of those blue water pipe guns pointed it at me and said " Hey Mr. ...you want ? " .... er. let me think about this , do I want to be blasted in the face with dirty water , ruining my whole evening , or not ? 

I politely declined his offer .

[Yellowtail]

27 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

What is "a plant full of Thias."?

A plant is a manufacturing facility, Thais would be the employees. 

[Yellowtail]

Why does everyone say the water is dirty? 

 

And where do the revelers get all the dirt water? 

[NorthernRyland]

so glad it's over. After enough years of declining interest I now hate it on a spiritual level. I'm going to leave the country next year for 3 days and make that my Songkran tradition.

[lexxy]

58 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Why does everyone say the water is dirty? 

 

And where do the revelers get all the dirt water? 

 

The tap, into used bins...

[champers]

15 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I did not know it to be a religious Festival, simply new year or passing of a solar event.

I am also hoping it means we get some rain and respite from the heat soon!

Drought to be announced next week. Very little rain here in 2024.

[QuantumQuandry]

It's so weird to me that a city can basically give carte-blanche free pass to be as big an a-hole as you ever dreamed you could possibly be...with the one caveat that it has to involve water.

 

(not saying everyone takes advantage of that...but still, the few who do...get a free pass)

[lexxy]

21 minutes ago, QuantumQuandry said:

It's so weird to me that a city can basically give carte-blanche free pass to be as big an a-hole as you ever dreamed you could possibly be...with the one caveat that it has to involve water.

 

(not saying everyone takes advantage of that...but still, the few who do...get a free pass)

 

10PM IN Pratamnak a fraang on the back of the bike was shooting thais in the face with a strong water gun narrowly missing me on a bike. I had just left 711 and had a unopened can of drink in my hand.. I was about 3mm from slamming him in the face with it, but i did not.. He did deserve it tho... disgusting...

[JensenZ]

On 4/15/2024 at 4:08 AM, Tiber said:

Thais?OK,...its the brainless ex pats that are the problem

This is nonsense. Although I don't go near the high-density beer bars areas during Songkran, it's Thai people that have caused me the most grief over the years. It's an excuse for Thai people with a chip on their shoulders to have a go at foreigners.

 

Here are 3 examples that are probably quite familiar:

 

1. High-pressure water guns aimed directly at my face and/or ears when sitting on my bike waiting for the lights to change.

2. Huge buckets of ice water after 10 pm on side streets when trying to avoid water and carrying shopping.

3. Asking politely not to be splashed and getting drenched.

 

They only really have fun when they find dry people who don't want to be wet, and in particular, foreigners. There's no fun wetting people who are already wet and out to play.

[JensenZ]

1 hour ago, NorthernRyland said:

so glad it's over. After enough years of declining interest I now hate it on a spiritual level. I'm going to leave the country next year for 3 days and make that my Songkran tradition.

As much as I dislike Songkran, leaving the country to avoid it is a bit extreme. I just stay at home as I do most of the year. I only need to go shopping, and during the event, late at night, plenty of shops are open for my basic grocery needs. I didn't see a single water gun or bucket of water this year. The only change in my routine this year was not shopping at Big C Extra.

[JensenZ]

On 4/16/2024 at 3:30 PM, quake said:

 

A Falang that goes around punching people over water,  during the Songkran festival in Thailand is a moron.

How's your Moronosphere holding up today.

You need to add some context. The member punched someone for throwing water at him when he asked him not to. I don't know about you, but if I'm "playing Songkran" as I have in the past, and someone asks me not to throw water, I don't. 

 

On the main Songkran day of course anyone who wants to stay dry should not be out, but there are many days leading up to the main day when people would prefer to stay dry as they might want to go shopping at a mall or eat at a restaurant.

[quake]

4 hours ago, JensenZ said:

You need to add some context. The member punched someone for throwing water at him when he asked him not to. I don't know about you, but if I'm "playing Songkran" as I have in the past, and someone asks me not to throw water, I don't. 

 

On the main Songkran day of course anyone who wants to stay dry should not be out, but there are many days leading up to the main day when people would prefer to stay dry as they might want to go shopping at a mall or eat at a restaurant.

 

So what would you do, if falang or Thai in this circumstance,  soaks you with water. laugh it off, or  go back and start a fight.

 

I think anyone who thinks they can control the waves over Songkran is an idiot.