On 4/15/2026 at 8:39 AM, dinsdale said:

Here's a tip. Keep your car windows UP. Motorcycles you're going to get wet. Accept it. Make sure things that will get damaged by water are either protected or not taken.

Here's a tip. Leave Thailand for a week.

Best regards,

dry, happy and in the pub in Accrington

I read a government mouthpiece on Bangkok Post the other day, claiming that Thailand's Songkran festival has been named "the world’s liveliest festival".

Obviously hasn't done Carnival in Brazil, the Festival of San Fermín (running with the bulls), or Oktoberfest.

Ban the water pistols and super soakers. That should lessen the loutish behavior of the latter-day 'Benidorm Brits' and their ignorant cohorts from other paleface nations.

In the meantime, the family has had a nice, traditional 3-day Songkran up in the Udon Thani suburbs. I caught some of it on the security cctv cameras. Small buckets, water poured politely over backs and shoulders of people visiting or passing the front gate. No throwing water about and the kids having a blast jumping in and out of the inflatable pool set up just inside the gate. Proper Songkran.

It's over in my area and it was mellow compared to previous years. I guess the party at the lake was huge but that is a 45 minute drive and I wasn't up for it.

I saw some beautiful women but most of them were half my age(58). In my 40s and single, it was more exciting but now it is just something to experience for few hours and try no not be a bore.

The ice water was rare this year also compared to last year. It reminded me of Songkran 25 years ago.

On 4/15/2026 at 6:25 AM, dinsdale said:

Depends. I guess if you're a boring old fart who doesn't enjoy getting a bit wet (or soaked) and getting a bit drunk it's not much fun. Of course Songkran is traditionally about families getting together and getting a bit wet (or soaked) and getting a bit drunk, eating and enjoying. I'm in the latter category.

Better if you find out how and why a Traditional Songkran took place.

16 hours ago, emptypockets said:

Where did I say dead kids make me happy?

1 you are very strange to come to that conclusion

2 get a sense of humour

3 (optional) get a life.

Seem you have selective memory loss too, sad for you Empty, 😥

16 hours ago, BusyB said:

Yup, wallet etc. ... you dry out quick in those temperatures anyway. And a bit of cool is welcome.

I was 'ambushed' by a bunch of Thais outside their massage places and shops on my way home last year. I had to pass them. They stood there laughing and waiting for me 555 ... I just accepted it and went through, getting soaked and whited and laughing with them and it was great fun for us all.

Of course GG is researching in Pattaya, where Songkran becomes truly tedious and boring at the latest after the third day (of 7 for chrissakes).

A Thai friend sent me a video of her neighborhood children washing their elders' hands with water outside their houses. Real cute and what the original tradition is all about.

Getting to the pointy end now and its ramping up, next few days are going to be awesome.

2 hours ago, Olmate said:

Seem you have selective memory loss too, sad for you Empty, 😥

You make no sense.

Not sure what you are quoting but I never said anything at all about kids.

You ,and you alone mentioned kids. Try reading what you said a little more carefully.

On 4/15/2026 at 12:19 AM, SAFETY FIRST said:

Songkran in Thailand is one of the most amazing experiences you'll ever have, it's the bloody foreigners who are the problem.

I traveled to Isan for Songkran. It was good time and not as wild as Pattaya.

1 hour ago, TedG said:

I traveled to Isan for Songkran. It was good time and not as wild as Pattaya.

Well good for you Teddy ...did you play on the swings and merry go round too ?

Madness is the right term when you look at the lives lost and injuries this year ----- 242 DEAD

https://aseannow.com/topic/1392557-songkran-slaughter-242-dead-as-motorcycles-and-speed-demons-rule/

Its very much like Mardi gras only without the shootings, stabbings and fights. Quite enjoyable.

First 3 nights were mellowish, the last 2 were off the hook fun. So many people last night it took us an hr to get home and that was snaking through the back roads.
So nice to see people having a great time.

Funny to read the old grumps complaining because they didn't plan ahead for something they knew was coming. Thats a "Stupid Tax" that you just paid. lol

On 4/15/2026 at 8:27 AM, trainee wombat said:

Try Trump, this might give them the excuse to take over Thailand and kick out the thais.

Aaaaa,the syndrome remains strong!

I planned ahead, stocked up with water and fruit juice and tinned fruit and fish. Then hid in my room until it was all over...

I'm a bore, but a dry bore... :)

3 minutes ago, simon43 said:

tinned fruit

Living in Thailand I have to ask why would you do that?. Full of added sugar when you could have the real thing. Peak mango, rambutan, and mangosteen season now.

7 minutes ago, marin said:

Living in Thailand I have to ask why would you do that?. Full of added sugar when you could have the real thing. Peak mango, rambutan, and mangosteen season now.

Oh don't be a party pooper

On 4/15/2026 at 8:27 AM, trainee wombat said:

Try Trump, this might give them the excuse to take over Thailand and kick out the thais.

And what has that to do with this?

On 4/15/2026 at 2:11 PM, Purdey said:

The water festival will never change as it is responsible for so many foreign tourists coming just for that one reason. The Thai government wants that income.

I have not left the house since Monday and have many things to do here. Those asking for an end to it are p*ssing in the wind.

You weren’t the only one who stayed at home, ever since I’ve been living in Thailand, I’ve hated that festival and make sure I don’t have to deal with it.

2 hours ago, marin said:

Living in Thailand I have to ask why would you do that?. Full of added sugar when you could have the real thing. Peak mango, rambutan, and mangosteen season now.

Er... My comment was about hiding in my room during the water madness. I don't grow mangosteen in my room!!

Songkran in the tourist areas is completly different from Songkran elsewhere.

I stay away from the madness in the city (Chiang Mai) and usually experience Songkran from the perspective of the village tradition with my wife and kids. Go to the river and sit in a lawn chair in the water, drink whiskey, eat BBQ and relax is as good as it needs to get for me.

23 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Er... My comment was about hiding in my room during the water madness. I don't grow mangosteen in my room!!

Er.... You could have bought the fresh fruit while you were out buying the cans of sugared fruit. The choice was yours. You took the unhealthy one. Up2u.

On 4/15/2026 at 7:53 AM, georgegeorgia said:

I'm seriously thinking about starting up some kind of petition worldwide to put an end to this Songkran madness

I watched Tiktok video today of a elderly Thai van driver being attacked by groups of young farangs with a high powered water pistols

This was Phuket about 15-20 farangs attacked him

They even opened all doors on his van as he was fighting them off and sprayed water inside

Does anyone have that video they could post , very very sad

Road deaths , hooligans, etc ,blindness , eye injury

We must stop this festival and if I have to do that I will, as the saying goes ,if it's to be it's up to me !!

I may have to go see my local Member of Parliament about this again to write to the Thai government to do something!!!

Well said.

1 hour ago, marin said:

Er.... You could have bought the fresh fruit while you were out buying the cans of sugared fruit. The choice was yours. You took the unhealthy one. Up2u.

All fruit has natural sugar - fructose. The tinned fruit that I bought had no added sugar. Plus I don't currently have a fridge, so a change from fresh fruit for a few days is no problem.

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Well said.

Personally, I think Songkran water madness should be made illegal for foreigners........ :)

On 4/15/2026 at 5:34 PM, unblocktheplanet said:

My Samut Prakan friend tells me Phra Padaeng, the Chao Phraya island that's Bangkok's 'green lung' is the best for Songkran the following week.

Suk Sawat area.

Many Burmese who celebrate their Songkran one week after Thailand.

Used to be a good laugh to set a Hash run there to get the unsuspecting who thought they had escaped the water throwing madness of Songkran, only to get caught up in it a week later. 😈

7 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Suk Sawat area.

Many Burmese who celebrate their Songkran one week after Thailand.

Used to be a good laugh to set a Hash run there to get the unsuspecting who thought they had escaped the water throwing madness of Songkran, only to get caught up in it a week later. 😈

Haven't seen any hash in a long while! Hehe.

May see you there!

4 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

May see you there!

I'm the Grandfather of the North now.😞

On 4/15/2026 at 2:29 PM, connda said:

Why? Stock up on supplies, stay home, ignore it. That's what many of us do.
Anyway, do you realize how silly that sounds. It's like going to America and petitioning the government to stop July 4th.
Songkran was celebrated decades before you were born and will be celebrated decades after your gone. Don't like Songkran? Leave.

Back before I retired I would fly to either Phnom Phen or Siem Reap for a week during Songkran. It worked out so I never had to partake. When I was a nooby of course I used to like it a bit. Over the years its lost its favor for me. I'll leave it to others from now on.

A religious tradition full of beauty and deep rituals that has degenerated and declined because of social shifts — like everything else in the modern world.