16 hours ago, Purdey said:

Songkran had nothing to do with this. Boys fighting in gangs do. Foreigners can't comprehend helping out your mates and think everyone has a warrior spirit.

Thai boys learn kickboxing at school. They do military service and learn to kill. There is no point in thinking they have their honor to worry about. But they are taught to kill in packs from an early age.

Most here do not know how to fight. You can see this almost daily in the news, where they have to have a gang to fight another, and flailing punches and kicks that aren't learned from training but wild. They all think because this is a Muay Thai place they can emulate but only consistent training prepares you for fighting with any strategy. Otherwise it's a brawl where few know what they're doing. The reason they gang up is having no fathers teaching them respect for life itself. They fight in packs from cowardice.

On 4/18/2026 at 7:14 PM, BarraMarra said:

Makes no difference in Thailand its 1 in were all in there that stupid even when there unconciouse they will carry on kicking them in the head.

Isn't that why the 'bovver boys' back home in England used to wear Doc Martens with everything?

Correct Nan but that was in the 70s died out years ago. Every day it seem's a gang attack is mounted in Patayya just look at the Patayya news.

15 hours ago, NanLaew said:

It seems that your exposure to Thai news and the opinions of Thai people is solely through the lens of this forum. I admit it's a bit of a bugger not understanding the language here, but if one doesn't even make the effort, I can appreciate why some never graduate from the "they don't like us" school of thought.

Well I am not there as you put is so yes nearly all me Thai news is from AN or may be the BBC if they bother to actually have an Asian news on the Asia page of the news web site. For some strange reason most of the news on the Asia page is about Australia. Any way no point in learning to read Thai since there are no Thai newspapers where I am.

Pattaya is the worst song kran i have seen in 26 years in thailand. Totally out of control and drags out for about ten days now. Disgusting bunch of roving idiot thugs many of whom are falangs. I am amazed there are not more fights and deaths. Shame on Tourism officials who actually promote come to pattaya for song kran rather than try and limit the chaos to one day.

12 hours ago, BarraMarra said:

Correct Nan but that was in the 70s died out years ago. Every day it seem's a gang attack is mounted in Patayya just look at the Patayya news.

Bad news sells, and that's not unique to Thailand. For every single person who became a victim of crime over Pattaya's too long Songkran, there's at least half-a- million others that didn't.

A vid popped up on my Facebook that maybe its gone beyond harmless fun think it was in Patayya 3 thugs walked into a shop and said hands up then they sprayed them with water with a watar blaster thank God they were not in English. That's not the spirit of Songkran just criminal damage.

On 4/18/2026 at 8:07 AM, Jim Waldron said:

Songkran used to be a celebration, now it's more like an excuse for mob stupidity and violence by both Thais and foreigners.

This is a particularly extreme example of that violence, and it raises the question about how authorities can address this in the future without destroying the spirit of the Songkran Festival.

No. 1: Ensure these 10 scumbags get a very heavy prison sentence for all. Once the sentence is dished out it is advertised immediately on Thai news channels.

No. 2 As for the punishment to the area where the altercation in Nong Khai at 9pm, which lets face it , is 9pm is not late at night.

What I am saying is, they were either planning and looking for a fight or had been drinking all day and were blind drunk. My suggestion is that street where it occurred and within 1km should be banned from holding a Songkran Festival for two years, But clearly the RTP did not control the ten when it occurred thus forget them.

On the plus side. The ban would ensure all restaurants will actually improve sales. All visitors whether they be falangs, thais etc. will now be able to leave their hotel room without worrying about getting soaked before they get to the restaurant. Worst if they use a tourist motor bike.

That would ruin any romantic night would it not?

Thailand has been xenophobic for years, No one with any money goes there for anything but one thing. Then back to a nice retirement haven country or home.. I still visit occasionally , brings back old memories. But, Thailand is just a low end (basically scummy) underbelly in SE Aisa. Lets face it Thailand has basically turned into a place where the less fortunate go thinking it is heaven.

On 4/19/2026 at 6:36 AM, Issan girl said:

So, if that is what you believe 1. Why are you still in Thailand? 2. If you are not in Thailand, why are you posting on this thread? Are you just trolling or just "need to get a life?"

I love Thailand and the problems are no different to corrupt , violent, incompetent UK . and Thailand is a lot more fun and people are happier ...No where is perfect some places are total hell holes ,, others are just boring , Thailand is never boring , and its not a hellhole ,,,